SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Owen Andress recorded two hits in both games and
Mike Lewishall and
Wilson Irvin each drove in three runs in the opener, but one big inning in both ends of the doubleheader carried seventh-ranked Birmingham-Southern past Sewanee, 9-6 and 5-1, in baseball action Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.
The Tigers (5-4, 0-2 SAA) led 5-0 in the opener thanks to a two-run double by Lewishall and a three-run homer by Irvin but the Panthers plated six runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good. Sewanee managed just one run on three hits over the final four innings against BSC lefthanded reliever Charlie Horne.
Birmingham-Southern led 2-1 and plated three runs in the bottom of the fourth in the second contest en route to the seven-inning victory. Drake Laroche (3-0) struck out 11 and did not walk a batter, shutting down the Tigers in the game.
The teams complete the series with a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.
In the opener
Jack Roode was hit to start the second inning and
Will Yarbro singled with one out before a two-run double from Lewishall down the leftfield line.
Blake Pou walked to leadoff the fourth and Yarbro singled. With one out Irvin belted a three-run homer to left, extending the Sewanee advantage to 5-0.
Matt Munn retired the side in order in the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth, starting with a leadoff homer by Eli Steadman. Andrew Dutton singled, Jackson Webster was hit and Ian Hancock walked, loading the bases.
Jakob Zito's infield single plated a run and another scored on a sacrifice fly by Forrest Lietz. Ty Truett followed with an RBI single and Shane Nelson's double plated a run before another sac fly, this one by Mitch Austin, gave the Panthers a 6-5 edge.
Truett and Nelson both walked to start the BSC and Steadman drew a free pass with one out. Dutton's sacrifice fly extended the lead to 7-5. In the seventh Hancock tripled and scored on a wild pitch for the home team. Nelson's sac fly later in the inning made it 9-5.
Hunter Herndon singled in the Sewanee eighth and Roode walked before Yarbro was hit, loading the bases. Lewishall's ground ball plated a run, but Irvin struck out to end the threat with two runners aboard.
Munn (2-1) suffered the loss, allowing six runs on six hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out six. Josh Leerseen (3-0) posted the win for the Panthers, giving up five runs on six hits with six strikeouts in five innings.
Birmingham-Southern struck first in the second contest, with walks by Steadman and Webster and a single from Dutton loading the bases. Hancock grounded into a doubleplay but the run scored.
In the third Steadman walked and Dutton singled, putting runners on the corners, before a sac fly by Webster pushed the Panthers lead to 2-0.
Herndon's leadoff solo homer in the third cut the deficit to 2-1, but BSC struck for three runs in bottom of the inning to take control.
Nelson reached on an error and Truett singled and Parker Ladd followed with an RBI single. Steadman squeezed in a run and Dutton plated the final run with an RBI single.
Taj Donald (1-2) suffered the loss for the Tigers, allowing five runs, two earned, on five hits with six strikeouts in five innings.
