DANVILLE, Ky. 4/5/09 - The Sewanee Tigers staged a ninth inning, four-run rally in today's SCAC series finale, but it fell just short as the Centre Colonels escaped with the 13-12 win. It was the Tigers second one-run loss in two days as the Colonels took the opening game of the series on Saturday 3-2.
The Tigers held on today and won Game 2 by the score of 14-9 to salvage one win in the three-game series. The game had been suspended in the bottom of the eighth inning on Saturday due to darkness.
The Tigers struck first in Saturday's second game taking a 1-0 lead when Franklin Pogue (Nashville, Tenn., Father Ryan) led off the top of the second inning with a double down the right field line. Pogue advanced to third base on a wild pitch and came across the plate on a passed ball by the Centre catcher.
Sewanee extended its lead to 6-0 in the top of the third on an RBI single by Taylor Irwin (Brentwood, Tenn., Battle Ground Academy)and a grand slam homerun by Rascoe Dean (Nashville, Tenn., Montgomery Bell Academy).
The Tigers continued to play long ball in the fourth inning as Taylor Burns (Dallas, Tex., Lake Highlands) blasted a three-run homerun upping the Sewanee lead to 9-0.
Sewanee added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to build a commanding 11-0 lead.
A run in the sixth and a seven-run explosion in the seventh by the Colonels cut Sewanee's lead to 11-8. Sewanee increased its lead to 12-8 with a single run in the top of the eighth inning.
With one-out in the bottom of the eighth and a Centre runner at third base the game was halted due to darkness to be resumed on Sunday at that point. The game was resumed today and completed prior to the start of the scheduled game.
Centre scored one run in the bottom of the eighth, but the Tigers picked up two insurance runs in the top of the ninth on an RBI single by Irwin and an RBI double by Pogue to capture the 14-9 win
Starter Logan Ray (Estill Springs, Tenn., Franklin County) picked up his second win of the season lasting 6.1 innings allowing six runs on four hits.
Burns and Irwin each had three hits in the game. Dean had five RBI and Burns drove in three runs.
In Sunday's scheduled game, the Tigers struck quickly in the top of the first inning as Dean drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Chris Mauro (Washington, D.C., St. Alban's) had an RBI single to give Sewanee a 2-0 lead
Centre battled back to take the lead as they posted five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning only to have the Tigers close the gap in the top of the sixth on a Burns homerun. Burns hit his second home run of the series, a two-run shot that trimmed Centre's lead to 5-4.
Sewanee regained the lead in the top of the seventh inning as they put four runs on the board. The big hit of the inning was a two-out, two-run single by Irwin.
The lead continued to go back and forth as Centre responded with four runs in the home half of the seventh inning to reclaim the lead at 9-8. The Colonels increased their lead to 13-8 as they plated four more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
A furious rally by the Tigers in the top of the ninth inning fell one run short. The Tigers sent ten batters to the plate and scored four times but it wasn't enough as Centre was able to hold on to take the 13-12 victory.
Wilson Nealy (Nashville, Tenn., Montgomery Bell Academy) was charged with the loss on the mound for the Tigers. Starting pitcher Andrew Rowan (Nashville, Tenn., Father Ryan) lasted six innings allowing seven runs on 12 hits.
Irwin paced the Tigers' 13-hit attack going 3-for-6 on the day with three RBI. Barrett, Burns, Mauro and Joe Reilly (Milton, Ga., Mt. Pisgah) each chipped in two hits. Burns also drove home three runs.
Sewanee's record is now 8-15 on the season and 2-7 in SCAC play.
The Tigers will return to action on Tuesday as they host Maryville College at Montgomery Field in a non-conference game. Game time is 2 p.m.
