ROME, Ga. - The Centre baseball team punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in progam history and the third season in a row as the Colonels left no doubt in the final round of the Southern Athletic Association Tournament, knocking off the Rhodes Lynx 11-3 to claim their second ever conference tournament championship.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
- Just like in yesterday's matchup against Rhodes, the Colonels got off to an incredible start.
Ben Prather and
Ayden Lohr led off the game with singles, with
Aaron Lopez driving in the first run of the day two batters later with a base hit.
- After
Evan Weyler walked to load the bases,
Graham Johnson came up big with two outs and delivered a clutch base hit the other way to drive in a pair.
Forrest Day and
Jamison Craig followed with singles, with Day's hit driving in another run to make it 4-0.
- With the bases still loaded, Prather returned to the plate for his second at-bat of the inning and lined a base hit through the 5 hole to drive in two more and cap off a six-run opening frame for the Colonels.
- The Lynx got on the board in the third with a leadoff infield hit, followed by a pair of doubles to cut the Centre lead to 6-2, but starter
Harrison Cowdrey induced a popup to avoid further damage.
- In the fourth, Prather led off the inning with his third hit of the game. With two outs, Lopez kept the inning alive with an infield hit, followed by singles from Weyler and
Baylor Woodall to make it 8-2.
- Centre added to the lead in the fifth as a pair of walks and a single loaded the bases for Lopez, who ripped a base hit to left to drive in Day and increase the advantage to 9-2.
- In the ninth, Day led off with a shot up the middle for a base hit. After Prather walked, Lohr lined one up the middle for another RBI single.
Chase Austin then reached on a fielder's choice, with a Rhodes error leading to the final Centre run of the day.
- Rhodes mustered one run in the bottom of the ninth, but
Aidan Carr got the next batter to fly out to secure the conference title for the Colonels.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- All 18 of Centre's hits on the afternoon were singles. Prather, Lohr, Lopez and Woodall all led the way with three each.
-
Zach Heavern got the win after throwing three shutout innings in relief while striking out four.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Zach Heavern
Ayden Lohr
Tommy Severson
Aaron Lopez (Tournament MVP)
NEXT UP
Centre baseball will find out the next destination on Monday with the NCAA selection show.
