Grant Cobb, Staff Writer
Kevin Kim, Editor
GAME 1
Centre 8, Berea 2
Centre College (1-0)
Berea College (1-3)
GAME 2
Berea 5, Centre 2
Berea College (2-3)
Centre College (1-1)
DANVILLE, KY- Berea baseball split a Saturday double-header with in-state rival, Centre College. The Colonels won the first, 8-2, starting their season off with a victory. The Mountaineers won the nightcap, making it 2 out of the last 3, and improving their record to (2-3).
The first game featured Berea's Griffen Norris on the bump. After a struggling first inning, Norris found the zone and delivered 3 more innings of solid baseball, only allowing 2 hits and 2 runs (1 earned). Aaron Duncan, and Bryce Wallingford followed Norris in the effort, but errors in the field, and a few key hits proved to be the factors behind Centre's lead-gaining 7th inning.
Offensively, Berea connected on 7 hits and only manufactured 2 runs early in the ballgame. The only extra-base-hit came in Nick Bottom's 2nd inning double. Separately, Berea combined for 6 more hits (Akins, Bolon, Dacci, Eads, Peters, and Wilson), and just couldn't get the ball going on the offensive end.
The second contest saw Josh Wilson on the mound, and he was focused and determined to get the Mountaineers a victory. He pitched 5 innings of 4 hit, shutout baseball. Brendan Grider came in and relived the final 4 innings in the same fashion until allowing a 2 out hit in the bottom of the 9th.
The bats were awake as Berea connected on 8 hits, with 2 Mountaineers producing multi-hit days (Peters, and Williams). Freshman, Isaac Peters, perhaps had the biggest day; producing base hits on both of his RBI opportunities, scoring a total of 4 men. Berea was able to hit with 2 outs and take advantage of Centre's mistakes.
Berea will conclude the 3-game series tomorrow against Centre College in a rubber game. The winner tomorrow will also decide the winner of the series. First pitch is set for 3:00pm at Gary Wright Field.