PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Centre baseball team concluded its spring break on Wednesday by winning a wild one over the Grinnell Pioneers. The Colonels fell behind twice, but rallied each time, including a five-run eighth inning that helped turn a close game into a 13-5 Centre victory.
 
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
 
- Grinnell got on the board first with a pair of runs in the second inning, including a leadoff homer.
- Centre immediately responded in the top of the third, loading the bases after Conner Jackson walked, Mark Pyburn singled and Karson Thompson was hit by a pitch. Jordan Gunter doubled to tie the game, and Joshua Cunningham put the Colonels on top 3-2 with a sacrifice fly that scored Thompson.
- The Pioneers battled back in their half of the third inning, scoring three runs to retake the lead at 5-3.
- In the top of the fifth, Centre got one back as Karson Thompson smacked a leadoff double, eventually scoring on Cunningham's second sac fly of the day.
- The Colonels took the lead once again in the sixth as Pyburn delivered a clutch base hit that scored Jackson and Perry Nadreau after both runners had singled and advanced to scoring position on a passed ball.
- With the outcome still up in the air, the Centre offense took over in the eighth inning, with the help of some defensive miscues by Grinnell. Luc Morgan led off with a single and Braden Wilson walked. Nadreau reached on an error, allowing Morgan to score. Pyburn followed with another RBI single and Nadreau later scored on a passed ball. Another error put runners at the corners and both of those runners scored after a single by Gunter and an RBI groundout by Cunningham, giving the Colonels an 11-5 cushion.
- In the ninth, Wilson and Jackson each worked walks and eventually scored after yet another RBI single from Pyburn and a wild pitch by the Pioneers.
- Morgan switched from third base to the mound and induced a 5-4-3 double play in the bottom of the ninth before recording the final putout himself.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
- Pyburn had his most productive day at the plate of his young career, going 4-6 from the leadoff spot with four RBIs and scoring twice himself.
- The production of the bottom half of the order aided Pyburn's career day as 7-8-9 hitters Wilson, Nadreau and Jackson combined to reach base seven times and scored every one of those times.
- Gunter had another solid day to continue his excellent senior campaign, going 2-3 at the plate with three walks and three RBIs. The Centre hitters worked 11 walks on the day.
- Cunningham had an unusual box score, as he drove in three runs without recording a hit.
- Will Orren was outstanding in long relief for the Colonels as he pitched three scoreless innings and allowed just two hits.
 
NEXT UP
 
The Colonels will travel back north for conference play as they hit the road for a weekend series at Rhodes.