DANVILLE, Ky. – The Centre baseball team earned its third straight conference series victory with a flair for the dramatic, knocking off the Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels 7-6 in 12 innings on a walk-off homer by
Conner Jackson.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
- The visitors got on the board first as Oglethorpe scored a quick run in the first inning after a leadoff walk and two hits. From there, starter
Harrison Cowdrey settled in, not allowing a run for the rest of his outing.
- The next four innings belonged to the pitchers, but the Colonels finally got a rally going in the fifth.
Jamie Laframboise walked, and then a successful hit and run with
Karson Thompson put runners on the corners. An RBI groundout by
Josh Cunningham tied the game, and then
Ben Prather legged out an infield hit to score Thompson and put Centre up 2-1.
- Oglethorpe responded in the sixth with two runs on four hits to retake the lead at 3-2. The Colonels answered right back in their half of the inning as
Michael Lynch led off with a double down the line. A base hit by
Chase Austin drove in pinch runner
Will Kempf to tie the game again. Speedster
Carson Mire pinch ran for Austin and eventually scored on a wild pitch, beating the tag with a great slide to make it a 4-3 Centre lead. The Colonels then increased their lead on an RBI groundout by Thompson, capping off the three-run frame.
- With two outs in the eighth, the Petrels used a couple of clutch hits to rally to tie the game at 5-5. Oglethorpe staged another two-out rally in the top of the ninth to take the lead, putting Centre's bats against the wall.
- The Colonels quickly got something going in the bottom of the ninth as Cunningham beat out an infield hit and Prather walked. With runners on the corners,
Ethan Carter laid down a perfect bunt and beat it out as Cunningham easily scored to tie the game once more at 6-6.
- After the third straight scoreless inning of relief by
David Kinsbrunner, the Colonels were down to their last out in the 12th when Jackson deposited one over the big wall in left field to send the home fans home happy.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Jackson's walk-off homer was his first round-tripper since the 2022 season.
- The game featured six lead changes and five ties.
- Centre pitchers struck out 17 Oglethorpe batters, led by Cowdrey with nine. Kinsbrunner retired all ten batters he faced, including five via strikeout.
NEXT UP
The Colonels will return to action on Mar. 26 with another home contest against the Hanover Panthers
