SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Aidan Petrocco was 4-for-4 with three RBIs,
Zach Fortman drove in three runs and
Owen Andress hit a three-run homer while
Austin Graber tossed 6.2 innings of relief to pick up the win on the mound, helping Sewanee to a series-clinching 16-9 victory over Oglethorpe in baseball action Sunday in Atlanta, Ga.
The Tigers (18-13, 4-8) won their first SAA series of the year thanks to an eight-run third inning and Graber's relief work after splitting two games with the Stormy Petrels (17-14, 4-8) on Saturday.
The two teams combined for 16 runs and 16 hits in the first two-and-a-half innings that took more than 90 minutes to play. The game finally calmed down until seven combined runs in the sixth and seventh innings, but Graber (4-0) allowed only six baserunners (four hits) and two runs with five strikeouts.
Petrocco reached base six times with three times, a double and two walks, scoring a pair of runs, while
Alden Wright posted three hits, two RBIs and three runs scored.
Charlie Teel and
Sebastian Leinberger also drove in two runs apiece for the Tigers and Fortman recorded two hits and two runs scored as well.
Sewanee pounded out 17 hits in the win but only four extra-base hits – three doubles and the Andress homer. Hayden Partian (2-1), the second of seven Oglethorpe hurlers, suffered the loss, giving up five runs on two hits with two walks in one-third of an inning pitched.
Tyler Pinson walked and Wright singled before Andress hit a three-run homer to left in the second inning, giving the Tigers an early lead.
The Stormy Petrels answered with a seven-run bottom of the second, starting with a walk to Alex Steckler, who went to second on a groundout and third on a wild pitch. He scored on a single up the middle by Shane Newsome, who also took second on a wild pitch. Ethan Snipes then singled to right, with Newsome scoring when the ball was misplayed in the outfield.
Jaxson Corr then singled to left, putting runners on the corners, and Jonathan Cruz also singled, plating a run and ending the day for Sewanee starter
Jack Merril, who allowed five runs on five hits with two walks and one strikeout in 1.1 innings.
Trey Kinnan walked, loading the bases, and Ryan Causey belted a grand slam, giving the home team a 7-3 advantage.
The Tigers answered with eight runs on five hits in the third and left the bases loaded.
Fortman walked and
Charlie Teel was hit before a sacrifice bunt by
Will Jennewein. Pinson was hit, loading the bases, and Wright double to rightcenter plated two runs. Andress also drew a free pass and Leinberger scored a run with a single down the rightfield line.
Petrocco walked, forcing in a run, before an RBI groundout by Pou. Fortman's single through the left side pushed across two runs and Teel followed with an RBI single to center for an 11-7 Sewanee lead.
Carter Drake singled and Newsome doubled to start the bottom of the third before Snipes struck out. Graber came on in relief of
Jake Walling and hit Corr, but Cruz flied out to center and Jennewein threw out Drake trying to score, a huge inning-ending doubleplay for the Tigers.
Wright singled and Andress was hit to leadoff the Sewanee sixth and Leinberger moved the runners with a sac bunt. Petrocco singled up the middle, scoring one run, and after Pou walked, Fortman plated another with a single to left. Teel's sacrifice fly made it 14-7 Tigers.
Oglethorpe got two runs in the bottom of the sixth on a single from Corr and a two-run homer by Causey, his second of the game, but Sewanee answered with two runs in the seventh.
Jude Wascome doubled and scored on a two-out single from Leinberger. Petrocco then doubled to rightcenter, driving home Leinberger and extending the lead to 16-9.
Graber worked around a Newsome double in the seventh and walked Cruz in the eighth before Kinnan bounced into a doubleplay. He retired the side in order in the ninth.
Sewanee plays at Covenant College on Tuesday at 2 p.m. CT and travels to Centre College next weekend for its next-to-last conference series of the year.
