The Sewanee baseball team earned its first win of the season Saturday, as the Tigers split a doubleheader with Southern Athletic Association (SAA) rival Berry at historic Montgomery Field.
The Tigers dropped the opener 17-10 before winning the nightcap, 4-3. The Tigers are now 1-12 overall while the Vikings lost their first game of 2016 and are now 11-1. The rubber game of the three-game series will take place at noon, Sunday.
Game One: Berry 17 –Sewanee 10
The Vikings jumped out to a 4-0 lead by the end of five innings before Sewanee answered back with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. After Berry added four more runs in the top of the seventh, Sewanee pulled to within two, 8-6, in the bottom half of the inning.
Unfortunately, the Vikings put the game away in the ninth inning as Berry added nine runs on six hits. Even after Sewanee scored four more runs in the bottom of the ninth, the Tigers still could not overcome the large deficit.
Jackson Cooper (C’17), who finished 4-of-6 at the plate, led Sewanee offensively. The Tiger shortstop also scored two runs. Bryce Benedict (C’19) also played well with a hit and two RBI while Ryan Poole (C’17), Josh Roberts (C’19), and Tyler Minikkinen (C’18) finished with multiple hits. On the mound, reliever J.J. Clements (C’19) was charged with the loss after he gave up five runs on four hits in 2.0 innings of work.He replaced starter Drew Mancuso (C’18) who also struggled after he gave up three runs on eight hits the first 4.1 innings.
Berry’s Parker Austin picked up his second win of the season as he tossed 2.0 innings of relief. Austin did give up two runs (one earned) and five hits, but benefited from the Vikings strong day at the plate.
Game Two: Sewanee 4 – Berry 3
Sewanee earned its first victory of the season behind J.T. Hintzen‘s (C’18) complete-game win.
Down 1-0 heading into the bottom of the third, Tony Dykes (C’17) opened with a single. After back-to-back singles by Derek Hullings (C’18) and Mancuso loaded the bases, Benedict drew a one-out walk that scored Hullings.
A batter later, Minkkinen drove in Mancuso on an error to short. Cooper then reached on a fielder’s choice in which Benedict scored.
After Berry added its second run on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth, the Vikings pulled to within one as Greg Keel drew a bases-loaded walk with an out in the top of the sixth. Fortunately, for Sewanee, Grant Perkins flew out to third and then Hintzen got of the jam by striking out Dusty Tyson to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Berry never threatened as Hintzen got Alfred Francis to fly out and Slade Dale and Ben Jernigan to strike out.
Overall, the Tigers finished with only four hits. However, Hintzen stole the show as he struck out eight and gave up only five hits in the complete-game victory.
Berry starter Trey Rampy was charged with the loss after he gave all four runs in the third.
Article courtesy of sewaneetigers.com
Photos by Kimberly Williams (C’17)