SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Owen Andress collected three hits and one RBI and
Blake Pou doubled twice and drove in two runs, as Sewanee battled back from a four-run deficit to tie the game only for Berry College to score three times in the eighth to claim an 8-5 win in the series finale between the Vikings and Tigers in baseball action here Sunday at Montgomery Field.
Sewanee (20-18, 6-12 SAA) trailed 4-0 after three innings but scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings and two more in the sixth on a two-run double from Pou, tying the game at five. Berry answered with three runs on three hits and one walk to regain the lead in the eighth.
The Tigers stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the eighth and picked up a walk in the ninth but that was all.
Charlie Teel posted two hits and two runs scored,
Alden Wright and
Luke Thompson each collected two hits and
Jonah Patton singled, walked twice and scored two runs, but Sewanee stranded 12 runners on base in the loss.
Jake Walling tossed three scoreless innings of relief to help the Tigers get back in the game, but
Henry Collins (1-4) allowed three runs on three hits with one walk in one-third of an inning to take the loss.
CJ Whaley (1-0), the third of five Berry (18-20, 7-11) pitchers, posted the win with one scoreless inning while Cole Porter claimed his second save with a scoreless ninth, giving up one walk with two strikeouts.
The Vikings struck first with a pair of runs in the second inning after a one-out single from Jacob Bridges and a perfectly-executed hit-and-run single to rightcenter from Austin Jetmore. Aiden Cloud's check-swing single down the rightfield line scored a run and after a walk to Tanaka Mukono loaded the bases, Garrett Lang hit a high chopper to third for a force out, plating a run for a 2-0 Berry lead.
Joey Garcia was hit to leadoff the third for the Vikings but Riley Uhls lined into a doubleplay. Andrew Pendleton then walked before Bridges singled through the leftside. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, though the throw to third by Andress was on target but fell out of Wright's glove.
Jetmore then grounded to short, but the throw to first was low and got away, allowing both runners to come across for a 4-0 Berry advantage.
The Tigers got on the board in the third thanks to a leadoff double from Teel, who went to third on a long fly ball by Patton and scored on a groundout by
Will Jennewein.
In the fourth Thompson singled to right with one out and went to second on a wild pitch. With two outs Andress singled to left, plating the run to cut the deficit in half.
Berry added a run in the fifth when Mukono reached on an error with two outs, stole second and scored on a single to right by Lang.
Sewanee answered in the bottom of the inning when Patton singled to right and with one out, Jennewein singled to left. With two outs Wright singled to center, pushing across Patton to make it 5-3 Berry.
The Tigers tied the game in the sixth thanks to a one-out single by Andress and a two-out walk to Patton. Pou then doubled into the rightfield corner, plating both runs to knot the contest at five.
Sewanee threatened in the seventh when Wright walked and Thompson singled, both with one out. Pinch-hitter
Zach Fortman smashed a ball up the middle but right to the shortstop, which started a 6-4-3 inning-ending doubleplay.
In the eighth Charles Pulaski drew a leadoff walk and Lang reached on a bunt single after being down 0-2 in the count, a hard bunt that got past the pitcher. Nick Brunswick then chopped a single over the head of the second baseman, squaring to bunt and then executing the hit-and-run. Pulaski scored easily and with Brunswick off on the pitch and the ball rolling into short rightcenter, Lang came around as well.
Garcia's bunt pushed the runner to second and Brunswick went to third on a wild pitch before an RBI single by Uhls made it 8-5.
Andress led off the bottom of the inning with a double to leftcenter but pinch-runner
James Lard was doubled off on Teel's line drive to second. Patton then walked and Pou doubled down the rightfield line, though the ball rolled into the bullpen, possibly costing the Tigers a run. Jennewein grounded out to end the threat.
