SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Tyler Pinson and
Zach Fortman posted two hits and two RBIs apiece and Sewanee scored six runs in the seventh, holding off Southwestern University, 10-9, in baseball action Saturday in a game delayed almost three hours because of rain and lightning here at Montgomery Field.
The Tigers (18-15-1, 8-8 SAA) fell behind 5-2 thanks to four unearned runs for the Pirates (8-27, 4-12) in the fourth inning. Sewanee scored a run in the fifth before the two teams endured a 2-hour, 39-minute delay that started with lightning and included two torrential downpours. The game resumed in a steady rain with Pinson grounding out to drive in the second run of the inning, cutting the deficit to one.
Southwestern used four pitchers in the seventh in a hard rain, with the Tigers plating six runs without a hit. The Pirates issued seven walks and hit two batters, giving the home team a 10-6 advantage.
Alex Ervesun, who finished 4-for-5 with five RBIs, hit a three-run homer in the eighth for Southwestern, making it a one-run game, but
Ben Weiser retired the last two batters of the inning after the home run and
Eli Potter got the final three outs for the save, including a game-ending line drive doubleplay after the Tigers' fifth error of the game.
The Pirates finished with 15 hits in the contest but stranded 10 runners. Chase Adams collected three hits and Owen Stevenson added two hits, two RBIs and scored three runs.
Southwestern starter Darion Rogers worked six innings, coming back after the rain delay, allowing four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Lawrence Lara (1-1), the first of the four hurlers in the seventh inning, suffered the loss, giving up three runs on no hits with two walks.
Sewanee starter
Taj Donald allowed five runs, one earned, on 11 hits in five innings.
Ryan Moll (1-2) tossed worked two innings of relief for the win, giving up one unearned run on three hits.
The two teams will play a doubleheader Sunday starting at 9 a.m. to conclude the series.
The Pirates threatened in the first inning after a leadoff walk to Cory Matthews and Connor Duffey reached when his grounder to second was thrown away. Tres Organ bunted but popped it up, with Donald making a diving catch and doubling off Matthews.
In the second inning Ervesun and Brandon Lang both singled to start the frame, putting runners on the corners, and Cale Cochran reached on a bunt single, beating Donald to first base and scoring a run. Donald worked out of the jam without any further damage.
The Tigers broke through in the third when
Owen Andress singled to leadoff and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Sebastian Leinberger.
Charlie Teel walked with two outs and Fortman singled to left, plating a run. Pinson followed with an RBI single as well for a 2-1 Sewanee edge.
The Pirates regained the lead in the fourth, starting with a leadoff single by Cochran, who moved to second on a groundout by Ben Feuer. With two outs Duffey reached on a throwing error, with Cochran scoring on the play. Organ then singled to left and stole second and Stevenson followed with a two-run single.
Adams and Ervesun both singled as well, plating another run for a 5-2 Southwestern advantage.
Teel walked again in the fifth and Fortman followed with an RBI triple to rightcenter. After the delay, Pinson's grounder up the middle scored another, cutting the deficit to 5-4.
The Pirates took advantage of another error to plate a run in the sixth, with Stevenson reaching on a two-out miscue. Adams and Ervesun followed with singles, extending the lead to 6-4.
