Diamond Gents Complete Home Stand, Splits Double Header with Belhaven

SHREVEPORT, La. - The Gents scored eight runs in the first inning of game one and won 10-0 in a seven-inning, run-ruled game, but the Maroon and White could not take advantage of five Blazers errors in game two as #12 Centenary (5-1) dropped the second game of a double header to Belhaven (1-1) 7-6.

Three key errors led to a big first inning on the day for Centenary. Junior Andrew Russell led off the game with a single and advanced to third on a throwing error on freshman Cade Lastovica's sacrifice bunt attempt. It was the first of two errors on the Blazers in the inning on sacrifice attempts.

Sophomore Cody Crowder and freshman Gage Garber each drove in a pair of runs with a single, Lastovica added an RBI base hit, and senior Cole Lavergne drove in a run when he reached on an error in the inning.

Freshman Chris Haggard added an RBI single in the fourth and a groundball double play produced the final Gents run in the sixth.

Meanwhile, senior Kaleb Kirk earned his seventh win in his last seven starts. He went five innings and allowed just four hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Freshman Tyler Welch and Connor Poche each threw a scoreless inning in the run-ruled game.

Crowder led Centenary in the game, going 2-for-3 with two RBI's and a run scored.

In game two, Centenary rallied from a 6-2 deficit to tie the game at six. Down by four with a runner at first in the fourth, Lavergne reached on an error and an overthrow on a pickoff attempt put both runners in scoring position. Belhaven got the next two outs, but Crowder cut the deficit in half with a two-out hit. Double plays in the fifth and sixth allowed single runs to score and tie the game at six.

However, Belhaven's Will Costinett hit a pitch over the left center field wall for a leadoff home run in the eighth in what proved to score what proved to be the winning run for the visitors.

Evan Moore and Gasper D'Anna both managed three hits for the Blazers in game two, while Austin Douglas picked up the win with three innings of scoreless relief. Chase Birch loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth, but two strikeouts and a groundout gave him his first save of the season.

Centenary returns to action Tuesday, February 13, when it makes the short trip down I-20 to take on East Texas Baptist. First pitch in Marshall, Texas, is slated for 7 p.m.