SHREVEPORT, La. - While the Gents failed to score in the first 17 innings the past two days, they made sure to make the 18th count.
The Diamond Gents scored four runs in the ninth for a win in their first true road game of the season as Centenary (7-2) knocked off #16 UT Tyler (3-3) 4-2 Sunday afternoon in Tyler, Texas.
Trailing 2-0 heading to the top of the ninth, key walks, a hit by pitch, and two fielder's choices helped net the Gents four runs without getting a hit. A pair of walks and a fielder's choice that did not produce an out loaded the bases. Freshman Preston Ludwick cut the deficit in half with an RBI hit-by-pitch. After junior Andrew Russell tied the game with an RBI sacrifice fly, senior Chris Zapata was intentionally walked to reload the bases. Sophomore Cody Crowder legged out a fielder's choice to score the go-ahead run, but head's-up base running by pinch runner, junior Charlie Allbritton, scored the fourth run of the frame.
UT Tyler put the tying runs on base thanks to a leadoff single and an error in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, pinch-hitter Kolton Forsythe chopped a ball up the middle that was gloved by freshman Chris Haggard at second base. Haggard slipped, but alertly tagged the bag at second for the out. A groundball to Russell at shortstop ended the ballgame and gave the Gents the two-run win.
Crowder only had one-hit in five at-bats, but his two-RBI fielder's choice in the ninth proved to be the difference. Freshman Connor Lee toed the rubber for the Gents to begin the game, allowing two runs on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts in 7.1 innings of work. Classmate Cole Godkin tallied his first collegiate win, allowing a single hit in the final 1.2 innings of work.
The Patriots scored single runs in the fourth and eighth. In the fourth, Blake Maddox doubled and scored on Blake Wilson's one-out double. In the eighth, Josh Burns led off the frame with an infield single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on Graham Welch's single.
Alexander Masotto took the loss for the Patriots in relief, allowing two runs in 0.1 innings pitched. Simon Sedillo started the game, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out six.
Centenary takes more than a week off before a rematch with UT Tyler in Shreveport. First pitch against the Patriots on February 27 is scheduled for 6 p.m.
