MEMPHIS, Tenn. 4/18/09 – The Sewanee Tigers dropped a pair of one-run games to Rhodes College today in an SCAC baseball doubleheader played in Memphis. Rhodes took the first game 2-1 and the second game 6-5. It was the eighth and ninth one-run losses of the season for the Tigers.
Sewanee's Greg Bartleski (Charlottesville, Va., Covenant) and Rhodes' Andy Holt locked up in an old fashioned pitching duel in the first game of the Saturday SCAC doubleheader with the Lynx coming out on top 2-1. The first game was played at AutoZone Park, the home of the Memphis Redbirds.
Bartleski pitched the complete game scattering four hits and allowing two runs, none of which were earned. It was Bartleski's second consecutive 2-1 conference loss.
The Lynx got all the runs they needed in the bottom of the first inning. After a Rhodes' batter reached base on an error with one out, Brent Lindsey blasted a two-out two-run homerun to left field to give the Lynx a quick 2-0 lead.
The Tigers picked up their only run of the game in the top of the fourth. Rascoe Dean (Nashville, Tenn., Montgomery Bell Academy) and Chris Mauro (Washington, D.C., St. Alban's) picked up back-to-back singles to right field. Trey Axe (Austin, Tex., St. Andrew's) reached first base on an error by the shortstop to load the bases. Dean scored when Austin Stephenson (Charlotte, N.C., Providence) grounded into a fielder's choice.
The Tigers outhit the Lynx 7-4. Taylor Barrett (Murfreesboro, Tenn., Siegel), Taylor Burns (Dallas, Tex., Lake Highlands)and Dean all collected two hits for Sewanee.
In the second game of the day, Rhodes scratched out a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to escape with the 6-5 victory.
Sewanee jumped to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Barrett led off the game with a single. Burns doubled to left center field putting runners at second and third base. Barrett scored on a Franklin Pogue (Nashville, Tenn., Father Ryan) ground out and Burns crossed the plate on a throwing error by the Rhodes shortstop.
The Tigers extended the lead to 3-0 when Stephenson singled and advanced to second base on an error by the center fielder. Bryant Denison (Baton Rouge, La., University) walked and Joe Reilly (Milton, Ga., Mt. Pisgah) reached base on an infield single to load the bases. Barrett picked up the RBI by grounding into a fielder's choice.
Over the next three innings, Rhodes scored five unanswered runs to take a 5-3 lead going to the seventh inning.
Sewanee tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the seventh inning on a two-RBI single by Taylor Irwin (Brentwood, Tenn., Battle Ground Academy). The hit chased home Reilly and Barrett who had both drawn walks to lead off the inning.
The Lynx scored the winning run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Burns was charged with the loss in relief of starter Logan Ray (Estill Springs, Tenn., Franklin County). Ray went 7.2 innings allowing eight hits and five runs.
Eight different Sewanee hitters had one hit each.
Sewanee falls to 8-21 on the season and 2-11 in SCAC play.
The Tigers will wrap up the 2009 season tomorrow in Memphis when they face Rhodes in the third and final game of the three-game SCAC series. Game time is 1:00 pm.
