BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The University of the South baseball team went toe-to-toe with the defending Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Tournament Champions and the current No. 3 team in Division III in Birmingham-Southern College. However, the Panthers swept the doubleheader from the Tigers on Saturday from Striplin Field, 3-1 and 4-3. Game two of the twin bill, which was scheduled as a seven-inning game, went nine innings.
Birmingham-Southern is ranked third in the nation in the latest D3baseball.com poll.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Score, Game 1: Birmingham-Southern 3, Sewanee 1
Winning Pitcher: Josh Leerssen (1-1)
Losing Pitcher:
Hampton Long (0-1)
Save: Joey White (1)
Final Score, Game 2: No. 3 Birmingham-Southern (9-2, 2-0) 4, Sewanee (2-7, 0-2) 3 | 9 innings
Winning Pitcher: Davis Williams (2-0)
Losing Pitcher:
Holden Shell (1-1)
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HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 1
-The Panthers took advantage of two walks in the bottom of the second and broke the scoreboard first thanks to an RBI single. However, the Tigers responded in the next half inning. With one out,
J.T. Carter reached on a hit-by-pitch, and thanks to a couple of wild pitches by the BSC hurler, he would score later in the frame.
-All even at one, the Panthers reclaimed the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a solo shot over the right center field wall. BSC added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a leadoff free pass.
HOW IT HAPPENED, GAME 2
-After two scoreless frames, Sewanee got the bats going in the top half of the third. After a leadoff infield hit by
Mike Lewishall and a
Wesley House free pass,
Jadon Fetrow moved the runners up 90 feet on a sac bunt.
Jack Roode tallied the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly.
-Following a
Drew Noblet walk,
Carter Huffman reached on a BSC fielding error that allowed Noblet and House score, and the Purple Tigers recorded a 3-0 lead with the benefit of one hit.
-BSC got on the board in a loud way in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff dinger to right field. The Panthers added two more runs in the frame to even the score at three runs apiece.
-The home team had an opportunity to score in the bottom of the fifth as the Panthers had a runner on third with one out. However,
Logan Martin was able to get back-to-back pop outs to preserve the tie.
-Sewanee saw
Wade Sansone lead off the seventh with a free pass, and with
Mikey Nardella pinch running, the Tigers were unable to move the runner any further.
-In the bottom of the seventh, BSC had runners on first and second with two outs, and Martin's 114th pitch was a called third strike to force the game into extras.
-After a quiet top of the eight for the Sewanee offense, the bullpen doors opened for the first time in the nightcap as
Holden Shell took over on the mound. With a runner in scoring position and one out, Shell used a flyout and a foul out to force the game into the ninth.
-Sewanee saw a leadoff base hit wiped away on a double play in the top half, and the momentum shifted to Birmingham-Southern from there. In the bottom half of the frame, a hit by pitch would come back to haunt Shell as Ian Hancock brought the winning run home on a fielder's choice.
SEWANEE KEY STATISTICS
-
Mike Lewishall and
J.T. Carter recorded the hits for Sewanee in the opener. Lewishall recorded a double, while Carter scored a run.
-In the nightcap,
Carter Huffman, Lewishall and
Wesley House posted the base knocks.
Jack Roode drove in a run, while
Drew Noblet, Lewishall and House each scored a run.
-
Logan Martin tossed seven innings for the Tigers in the nightcap as he earned the no decision. The junior fanned nine batters as he earned the quality start.
BIRMINGHAM-SOUTHERN KEY STATISTICS
-Noah Best went yard in game one, while Cole Steadman posted a solo homer in game two. Both shots were leadoff bombs.
-Josh Leerssen went six innings in game one, allowed one run on two hits and walks each, and struck out eight batters to earn the win.
UP NEXT
The series concludes on Sunday from the Magic City.
