DANVILLE, Ky. – Centre baseball escaped Gary Wright Field with a thrilling 11-10 victory over visiting Spalding Wednesday evening, winning its fifth game in a row.
The Colonels improve to 6-1 overall while the Golden Eagles, who are receiving votes in the NCBWA/D3baseball.com Poll, fall to 5-2.
HIGHLIGHTS
Spalding struck first with an unearned run in the top of the opening frame, as leadoff hitter Dillon Sievert came around after a Colonel error.
The Golden Eagles added three more in the second inning – all coming with two outs on the board. Garrett Wilson delivered a two-RBI single to highlight their inning.
Centre got some back in the bottom of the second, beginning with
Chris Esselman's RBI-triple to right center that brought in
Patrick Hope.
Cameron Duggins followed with a sacrifice fly to score Esselman and cut the deficit to 4-2.
Spalding chased Centre starter
Jake Holloway with another run in the fifth.
The Colonels answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame on Hope's RBI single, but the Golden Eagles tacked on another in the sixth to make it 6-3.
The back-and-forth continued, and in the bottom of the sixth
Seth Hagan came up with a clutch bases-clearing double with two outs, giving Centre its first lead at 7-6.
Spalding briefly regained the lead in the fifth, but
Mason Falbo and Esselman had consecutive RBI base knocks with two outs in the sixth, shifting the lead back to the Colonels. Falbo would cross on a wild pitch to make it 11-8.
The Golden Eagles plated two unearned runs in the seventh, trimming the lead to 11-10.
Drew Schacht came in and pitched the final two innings, and the program's career saves leader added another with three strikeouts to slam the door on Spalding.
Centre's staff totaled 12 strikeouts, as Schacht, Holloway and
Jordan Gunter had three apiece. The five Colonel relievers allowed just four hits in the final 6.2 innings.
UP NEXT
Centre opens Southern Athletic Association action this weekend, traveling to face Millsaps in Jackson, Miss. Saturday's doubleheader starts at 1 p.m. ET.