BEREA, Ky. – Centre baseball totaled a season-best 15 runs Tuesday evening, needing just eight innings to run-rule Berea on the road, 15-5.
 
The Colonels improve to 14-8 overall while sending the Mountaineers to 7-16. Centre has taken three of four games against Berea this season.
 
Their 15 runs were the most by the Colonels since the 2017 season opener – the first game of the Drew Briese era. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS
Will Kirk sent the second pitch of the game into left for a leadoff double, and would score on Seth Hagan's two-out double to right center.
 
Chris Esselman kept the two-out rally going with a triple to right, scoring Hagan and Mason Falbo to make it 4-0 before Berea's first at-bat.
 
The Mountaineers would score four against Carson Werrmann across the first three innings, tying the game at 4-4.
 
Still knotted at 4-4 in the fifth, Holloway gave Centre the lead again after scoring on a balk. Esselman and Austin Sharkey each delivered RBIs in the frame, as well, making it 7-4.
 
Centre's bats continued to roll in the sixth, as Holloway's RBI double and Esselman's sacrifice fly made it 9-4 as Kirk and Drew Schacht touched home.
 
Berea's pitching staff struggled with its command in the seventh, with early walks and a wild pitch allowing two Colonel runs to score. Falbo then brought in Schacht and Holloway on a single to center, and Parker Selin capped the scoring on a sacrifice fly.
 
Will Ahrens scored Centre's season-high 15th run in the eighth on Schacht's double to right center, and Centre closed out the Mountaineers in the bottom of the inning to signal a run-rule.
 
Esselman set a personal best with four RBIs, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored. Schacht went 4-for-6, scoring twice and driving in one, while Sharkey finished 3-for-5 with an RBI.
 
Holloway and Hagan also recorded multiple base knocks, helping the Colonels match a season high with 15 hits as a team. 
 
Kirk and Falbo each scored three runs for Centre.
 
Werrmann finished with three strikeouts in the start, but Centre used a host of pitchers to earn the victory. Behind Werrmann's three innings, Clay Rouse tossed two complete. Will Orren, Aaryn Chandler and Tyler Tucker each saw time, as well.
 
UP NEXT
The Colonels return to Southern Athletic Association play this weekend, traveling to Atlanta for a three-game series at Oglethorpe.