MASON, Ohio – Centre baseball played an unforgettable season opener on Saturday afternoon at Prasco Park in Ohio, earning a dramatic 9-8 comeback victory over the Carroll Pioneers following a walk-off home run by Josh Cunningham.
 
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
 
- The Colonels got on the board first. Jordan Gunter drew a leadoff walk, and following a fielder's choice and sacrifice, Dillon Di Iorio delivered a base hit to right field to score Karson Thompson and Centre took the first lead of the 2022 season.
- The Centre bats cooled over the next few innings and Carroll took advantage, scoring three runs in the third inning and two in the fourth, the last one coming after a Centre error.
- In the fifth, Luc Morgan led off with a walk and Will Ahrens was hit by a pitch. A single from Gunter loaded the bases and Thompson came through with Centre's second run of the day on an RBI groundout.
- Centre tacked on another run in the sixth as Di Iorio tripled to left field and Teddy Holloway smacked a base hit up the middle to cut the Carroll lead to 5-3.
- After Carroll scored an insurance run in the top half of the seventh, the Colonels immediately got the run back as Ahrens led off with a double, advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on a sac fly by Gunter.
- In the eighth, Centre quickly recorded two outs before staging a huge rally. Holloway singled, advanced to second on an error and scored following a double by Morgan. After a pioneer pitching change, Ahrens ripped a base hit up the middle on the first pitch he saw to tie the score at 6-6.
- The Pioneers quickly retook the lead in the top of the ninth as their first three batters singled to make it 7-6. Carroll would score another run with two outs to put Centre down by two as they went to bat for the final time.
- Pinch hitter Mark Pyburn singled in his first collegiate at-bat to lead off the inning. After a fielder's choice, Thompson's single put runners on the corners. With two outs, Cunningham stepped up and blasted a three-run homer to left field to put a capper on an outstanding season opener for the Colonels.


 













INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
- Cunningham's homer was the only round tripper of the ball game. The sophomore was one of seven Centre players to drive in runs on the day, but was the only player to record more than one RBI.
- Starter Jess Miller and reliever David Sickles each struck out three Carroll batters.
- Eight different players had at least one hit for the Colonels, led by Di Iorio, Holloway and Ahrens with two each.
- The Colonels went 5 for 13 with two outs and 7 for 17 with runners in scoring position.
 
NEXT UP
 
Centre will play Carroll in a Sunday doubleheader to wrap up their opening series of 2022.