WHITEWATER, Wisc. – A memorable NCAA Tournament Saturday of Centre baseball concluded in memorable fashion as the Colonels kept their season alive once again, avenging yesterday's loss against the California Lutheran Kingsmen by eliminating CLU with a 7-6 victory.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
- Unlike each of Centre's first two tournament games, tonight's contest got off to a slow start. Neither team threatened until the third when
Karson Thompson led off with a walk and
Conner Jackson was hit by a pitch.
Josh Cunningham laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the pitcher's throw went awry, enabling Thompson to score.
- With runners on second and third,
Ben Prather lofted a fly ball to right field deep enough to score Jackson, giving Centre a 2-0 lead.
- In the top of the fourth,
Aaron Lopez reached on an error to lead off. With two outs. Thompson blasted one over the left field wall to double the Centre lead to 4-0.
- The Colonels put up their third straight crooked number in the fourth. With Prather on second, Weyler smacked a double off the left field wall to add another run to the board.
Michael Lynch stepped up with two outs and hit a seeing-eye single through the shift to score the Centre catcher, making it 6-0.
- CLU finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth, connecting on a two-run homer and scoring another run on a Centre error to cut the deficit in half.
- The Kingsmen added a solo homer in the sixth to make it 6-4, but Centre got one back in the seventh as Weyler led off with a hit by pitch and stole second. Lynch, on fire in both of today's games, delivered a shot up the middle to once again bring in Weyler and increase the Centre lead to 7-4.
- After
Jack Gerber came on in relief of starter
Harrison Cowdrey and set CLU down in order in the seventh, the Kingsmen had the first two runners reach base in the eighth.
Aidan Christmas entered the game for the Colonels and recorded two quick strikeouts, escaping the jam without allowing another baserunner.
- In the ninth, CLU made a huge rally as the first four runners reached base on a walk and three singles, cutting the Centre lead to 7-6.
Jess Miller relieved Christmas and inherited runners on first and second. The senior struck out the first batter he faced and forced a gorgeous 4-6-3 double play to wrap up the game.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-
Ayden Lohr tied with Lynch and Thompson with a team high two hits in the victory.
- Centre pitchers struck out 11 CLU batters, led by Cowdrey with seven in a winning effort.
- Miller picked up his second save of the year, making his first appearance on the mound since Apr. 22.
NEXT UP
The Colonels will face host Wisconsin-Whitewater on Sunday, needing two wins to advance to the Super Regionals. The first game will take place at noon.
