The Sewanee Tigers celebrate their win against Millsaps. Photo courtesy of sewaneetigers.com.
By Harry Davis
Staff Writer
On Saturday, April 13, the Sewanee baseball team defeated the Millsaps College Majors 6-5 on Senior Day.
Sewanee entered the game with a record of 18 wins and 14 losses. The Tigers lost their most recent three-game series against Hendrix College, who are ranked No. 29 in D-III baseball. After a 8-1 victory, the Tigers fell 9-0 and 9-3. In the first game, Sewanee’s offense proved impressive with a four-run fourth inning capped off with a Jack Galanek (C’21) homer to left field. In the next two games, the Warriors managed 32 hits to the Tigers 12.
Millsaps entered the game with 8 wins and 25 losses after they defeated Huntingdon College 4-1 and 11-9. Last year, the Tigers swept the close series 1-0, 7-5, and 2-0. Sewanee will look to continue their strong play against Millsaps on their Senior Day.
Sewanee held Millsaps scoreless in the top of the first inning. In this Senior Day game, Riley Brandvold (C’19) started the offense himself early with a homerun for the Tiger’s first at bat of the game. Trey Akins (C’19) singled before he scored on a ground out to the shortstop by Jack Galanek (C’21) to put Sewanee ahead 2-0 at the end of the first inning.
After another three quick outs to start the second, Braxton Swanson (C’21) singled to get on base. After a walk by Millsaps, Bryce Benedict (C’19) grounded out to first base as Swanson scored to expand the lead to three. The second inning ended after a pop fly.
Millsaps finally scored in the third inning despite a double play by the Tigers. In the bottom of the third inning, Akins and Jack Galanek (C’21) both singled with two outs on the board. After an error by Millsaps, both Akins and Galanek scored to push the Tigers lead to 5-1 at the end of the three innings. The Majors however would not be put down easily, Millsaps scored once in the fourth inning and again in the seventh inning to put the Sewanee lead at 5-3. After another scoreless inning in the eighth, the lead dwindled to two at the start of the ninth.
The Majors scored two in the top of the ninth, but this left Sewanee with one more chance to win the game. Akins reached first base after a Millsaps error, and Chris McNulty (C’20) doubled as Akins reached third base. With the bases loaded after Galanek was intentionally walked, Tyler Dunbar (C’21) singled and Akins scored to win the game 6-5.
In this close game the Tigers were once again led by their senior class of nine players: Trey Akins, Bryce Benedict, Riley Brandvold, Joey Calcagno, Wesley Christian, Lucas DeSantis, Danny McDonnell, Andrew Napinski, and Josh Roberts. Thank you for great leadership through the season.
The Tigers will finish their season at Birmingham-Southern College, ranked no. 30, in a three game series with one game on Friday, April 19, and one on Saturday, April 20.