DANVILLE, Ky. – Centre baseball split its opening day doubleheader against Berea Saturday, winning by an 8-2 score before falling in a 5-2 nightcap at Gary Wright Field.
The Colonels start the year 1-1 overall, while the Mountaineers drop to 2-3.
HIGHLIGHTS: CENTRE 8, BEREA 2
Centre starter
Sam Shelley fanned the first three batters he faced in Saturday's opener.
The Colonels tacked on the game's first runs in the bottom of the first, taking a 2-0 lead despite no base hits.
The Mountaineers scored in both the second and third innings to tie the game at 2-2.
Alex Rozner delivered a two-out RBI, scoring
Cameron Duggins to regain the lead for the Colonels.
Centre batted around and put up five in the seventh inning, putting the game out of reach for the visitors. Rozner,
Parker Selin,
Will Kirk and
Drew Schacht each provided RBIs in the frame.
Rozner went 2-for-4 in what was his collegiate debut, as did sophomore
Austin Sharkey. Duggins and Kirk each scored twice for the Colonels.
Shelley earned the winning decision, while freshman
Will Orren picked up a save after tossing four scoreless innings in relief.
HIGHLIGHTS: BEREA 5, CENTRE 2
Sophomore
Jake Holloway faced the minimum through three innings in the second game, although he eventually met trouble when Berea plated two in the top of the fourth.
Centre loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but failed to get a run across.
The Mountaineers struck again in the fifth, scoring three runs on four hits and an error. Isaac Peters' two-out, two-RBI single proved the deciding factor for the visitors.
Berea starter Josh Wilson wound up tossing five scoreless innings, scattering four hits while striking out four.
The Colonels made a late push in the ninth after Duggins drove a two-run single to right center, scoring Kirk and Selin. Berea's Brendan Grider closed the door on a Centre comeback, however, getting the next batter to fly out.
Holloway finished with three earned runs allowed in 4.2 innings. Freshman
Carson Werrmann threw 3.1 scoreless innings in relief, while fellow rookie
Paul Fiepke tossed a spotless ninth frame.
At the plate, Falbo and
Seth Hagan each finished with two hits.
UP NEXT
Centre and Berea play the rubber match tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET.