Centenary Completes Impressive Weekend Sweep of Occidental

Los Angeles – The Centenary baseball team completed a three-game series sweep over the Occidental College Tigers in non-conference play on Sunday afternoon with a 7-6 win at Anderson Field.

The Diamond Gents (9-8) recorded their first series sweep of the season and have won three games in a row following a four-game losing streak. Centenary posted 16-7 and 19-3 victories in a doubleheader on Saturday and continued earlier on Sunday as game two of the DH had been suspended due to weather. Centenary began the seven-game California road trip 0-4 but responded with three-consecutive impressive wins. The Tigers fell to 5-8-1 on the season.

Centenary posted 13 hits in the game, marking the 12^th time that the Maroon and White have had 10 or more hits in game and at least 13 hits seven times. The Diamond Gents have had 10 or more hits in a game in six-straight games and in nine of their last 10 games.

Junior RHP Parker Primeaux (Lake Charles, La.) started for the Diamond Gents and picked up the win to improve to 3-2 on the season as he went six innings and allowed five runs, all earned, and eight hits with three walks and five strikeouts. He threw 100 pitches, 67 for strikes, and faced 27 batters, hitting one.  

Senior RHP Conner Poche (Lutcher, La.) came on in relief of Primeaux after he allowed the first two runners to reach in the seventh. Poche allowed a sacrifice fly to LF Antonio Andrade but got the final two outs to preserve a 7-5 lead. Poche allowed a one-out walk in the eighth but got a pair of groundouts to maintain the lead. C Jonathan Marshall homered to lead off the bottom of the ninth to make it a one-run game and SS Nolan Upchurch was hit by a pitch and junior RHP Hank Bennett (Richmond, Texas) came in for Poche.

Andrade reached on an infield single to put runners at first and second with no outs but Bennett got CF Christian Boudreau to ground into a double play and DH Ari Solomon grounded out to short to end the game. Poche pitched two innings and allowed just one earned run and one hit with a walk and a strikeout and hit one batter. He threw 30 pitches, 17 for strikes, and faced nine batters. Bennett threw 10 total pitches, five for strikes, and faced three batters.

Jon Thoren (0-3) was the loser for the Tigers as he allowed six runs, all earned, and nine hits in six innings with five walks and five K's. He threw 98 pitches, 56 for strikes, and faced 30 batters. Diego Ramirez relieved Thoren and went an inning, allowing one earned run and three hits with no walks and a pair of strikeouts. He threw 25 pitches, 18 strikes, and faced six batters. Caleb Reyes pitched the final two innings and allowed a hit with three K's. He faced six batters and threw 26 pitches (20 strikes).

Five Centenary players collected two hits apiece, the Diamond Gents drew five walks, and their defense turned four double plays. Centenary had two extra-base hits and stole on base while Occidental left six men on base, struck out six times, and made an error. The Tigers had four extra-base hits and 10 hits in total but the combination of six strikeouts and hitting into four double plays hampered their offense all game.

Senior C Ben Bridges (Beckville, Texas) went 2-4 with a two-RBI double and a walk and senior RF Luke Royle (Dodge City, Kan.) went 2-4 with an RBI single and a run scored. Senior DH Tyler Welch (Pineville, La.) was 2-3 with three runs scored, a stolen base, and a walk. Junior 2B Cole Collins (Shreveport, La.) finished 2-4 with an RBI single, a triple, and a run scored.

Freshman CF Cade LaBruyere (Iowa, La.) was 2-5, sophomore LF Austyn Benoit (Welsh, La.) went 1-4 with a sacrifice fly, a walk, and a run scored, and senior 1B Preston Ludwick (Pflugerville, Texas) was 1-4 with an RBI single, a walk, and a run scored. Senior SS Brady Robinson (Jacksonville, Texas) was 1-3 with a pair of sacrifice bunts.

Centenary returns home to face the Millsaps College Majors (11-5) on Wednesday, March 9 at 5 p.m. in a non-conference game at Shehee Stadium. The Diamond Gents are 5-3 at home this season.

See the complete Diamond Gents' season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/bsb/2021-22/schedule

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