Centenary Run Rules Schreiner in Game One, Earns Comeback Victory in Game Two for Double Header Sweep

Centenary Run Rules Schreiner in Game One, Earns Comeback Victory in Game Two for Double Header Sweep

KERRVILLE, Texas - After a seven-inning win in game one, the Diamond Gents rallied from its first deficit in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play this season with seven runs in the final four innings as Centenary (14-7, 6-0 SCAC) completed the series sweep of Schreiner (10-16, 1-5 SCAC) with an 8-4 victory in the second game Saturday afternoon, March 24.

The Gents have now swept its first two conference series of the season for the second year in a row.

Facing a 2-1 deficit in the sixth inning of game two, Centenary scored one in the sixth and three in the seventh to take the lead for good. Down one, sophomore Cody Crowder walked and junior Cameron Guin recorded his second triple in as many games on the day to tie the score. In the seventh with one out, senior Cole Lavergne singled, stole second, and scored on senior Nicholas Delaneuville's RBI single. Delaneuville then stole second, moved to third on an error, and scored on freshman Peyton Cormane's RBI single. After Cormane swiped second and third, a Crowder sacrifice fly put the Gents up 5-2.

Centenary scored one in the eighth and two in the ninth, while the Mountaineers plated two in the eighth, for the final 8-4 score.

Lavergne (1-1) picked up the win in relief, allowing two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out four in 5.1 innings. Senior Jackie Allen picked up his first save his collegiate career.

Freshman Chris Haggard went 3-for-4 with a run scored in the game, while Guin went 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

Schreiner, who had only 1 run through the first 16 innings of the series, scored a pair in the bottom of the first to take its first lead. After Centenary scored in the top of the first, Sam Pistrui doubled and was sacrificed to third. Josh Gilliam followed with an RBI single, stole second, and scored on Ryan Ragle's single.

In the third, the Mountaineers put the first two batters on in the inning before Centenary went to its bullpen for the second time in the game. Lavergne immediately recorded a pair of strikeouts around a fly out to end the Schreiner threat.

Kolby Kitchens (1-3) took the loss for the home team, allowing seven hits and five runs (two earned) in seven innings of work. Pistrui finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.

In game one, junior Matthew Devillier turned in a dominate complete game, shutout performance, allowing just three hits while striking out five in seven innings. The Mountaineers never had a base runner advance past second for the contest and at one point, Devillier had retired 11-of-12 Schreiner batters (the only batter to reach was on an error).

Meanwhile, Centenary scored single runs in the first and third before exploding for three in the fifth and four more in the sixth. Senior Chris Zapata led off the inning with a walk before going to second on Crowder's single. After a fielder's choice put runners on the corners with one out, Guin reached on an error the plated a run. After a double steal, junior Andrew Russell drove in a pair with a single.

In the sixth with two on base, a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Cormane plated a pair and put Cormane on third. Cormane scored the third run of the inning on a balk. With the bases empty and two outs, senior Ian Graham walked and scored on Guin's triple.

Zapata added an RBI single and Devillier pitched around a single by Schreiner in the seventh to end the game.

Zapata led the Gents offensively in game one, going 3-for-4 from the plate with three runs scored and an RBI. Zapata scored in both the first and third when he doubled and scored on a two-out hit by Graham.

Caleb Allen (2-5) took the loss in game one for the Mountaineers, allowing seven hits and eight runs (four earned) in five innings of work.

Centenary returns to action Thursday, March 29, when it kicks off a three-game series with UT Tyler in Tyler Texas. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. Game two and three will be played in Shreveport on Friday, March 30, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.