DANVILLE, Ky. - The 2026 Centre baseball season came to an end this afternoon in Gary Wright Field as the Colonels fell to the Aurora Spartans 10-6 in an elimination game in the NCAA Tournament.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
- The defense cost the Colonels early as errors led to unearned runs for Aurora in two of the first three innings.
- Centre got a run back in the bottom of the third as
Graham Johnson led off with a double over the head of the center fielder, eventually scoring on an RBI groundout from
Ben Prather to cut the deficit to 2-1.
- Aurora controlled the middle innings, scoring one in the fifth and two in the seventh to increase their lead to 5-1.
- In the bottom of the seventh, Johnson was hit by a pitch, followed by an infield hit from
Jamison Craig and yet another hit by pitch from Prather to load the bases. An RBI fielder's choice from
Ayden Lohr made it a 5-2 game.
- Centre kept the momentum going in the eighth as
Aaron Lopez ripped a leadoff double down the line, advanced to third on a balk and scored after
Baylor Woodall legged out an infield single to make it 5-3.
- The Aurora offense staged a major two-out rally in the ninth with five runs, capped off with a grand slam to take a 10-3 lead.
- Prather was hit for the second time on the afternoon to begin a furious comeback attempt for Centre in the ninth, as he advanced to third on an error.
Chase Austin singled to drive in the first run of the inning. Singles by Lopez and
Forrest Day followed and it was suddenly 10-5. After Woodall walked to load the bases,
Evan Weyler was hit by a pitch to make it 10-6 and bring the tying run to the plate, but Aurora retired the next two batters to cut the comeback short.
Centre baseball ends the regular season with a 31-15 record and will hang two more banners on the left field wall at Gary Wright Field for the 2026 team's SAA Tournament title and third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
