DANVILLE, Ky. – Gary Wright Field played host to a critical weekend series between the Centre baseball team and Birmingham Southern as the Colonels honored their seniors in their final home series. In Saturday's doubleheader, the Colonels came away with a split, winning the first game 4-3 before falling 7-5 in the second game.
Game 1: Centre 4, BSC 3
- The Panthers struck first on a solo homer from Tyler Wise in the top of the second, but the Colonels responded in the bottom half of the inning as Will Kirk delivered a two-out single that scored Seth Hagan and Jordan Gunter.
- In the fourth inning, the Colonels increased their lead to 3-1 as Drew Schacht knocked a double to left center and Kirk scored.
- BSC tied the score in the top half of the seventh inning after Cole Steadman drove in two with a base hit.
- The Colonels took the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth as Jordan Gunter hit his third homer in the last two games, a solo shot that put Centre up 4-3.
- Schacht came on in relief in the top of the ninth and after the tying run reached on an error, the Colonels' all-time saves leader struck out Steadman to preserve the win.
- Aaryn Chandler earned his third win of the season after pitching a scoreless eighth inning with a pair of strikeouts.
Game 2: BSC 7, Centre 5
- BSC sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning, scoring four runs on six hits. Centre got one back in the bottom half of the inning on a double by Gunter that scored Schacht.
- Cameron Duggins scored with help from a Panther error to cut the four-run deficit in half in the second inning.
- Trailing 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth, Hagan blasted a two-run homer to once again cut a four-run deficit in half. After the Panthers scored the next inning, the Colonels fired back as Kirk scored on an RBI single from Jake Holloway.
- The Colonels put the tying run on base in the seventh as Gunter drew a leadoff walk, but a 6-4-3 double play ended the scoring threat and secured the win for Birmingham Southern.
NEXT UP
The rubber match between the Colonels and Panthers will take place at 11 AM on Sunday at Gary Wright Field as the Colonels will look to win their third straight Southern Athletic Association series.
