Cleburne, Texas- The No. 3 seed Centenary baseball team advanced to the 2022 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship game with a 12-8 victory over No. 1 seed Trinity on Saturday in the first semifinal contest at The Depot at Cleburne Station.
Centenary (26-15) is back in the championship game for the first time since 2018 and fourth time in program history. The Diamond Gents, who won for the 12th time in 14 games, are now just one win away from clinching their second NCAA Tournament berth after winning the conference title and doing so in 2017. Trinity drops to 30-9 on the season and falls into the losers' bracket and will face the No. 2 Texas Lutheran vs. No. 4 St. Thomas loser in an elimination game at approximately 7 p.m. on Saturday. Centenary improved to 2-2 this season against the Tigers, who are ranked 12th in the current D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25 Poll.
All tournament games are live streamed through the league's partnership with Sportsgram. Live stats are also available for all tournament games via www.scacsports.com.
The Diamond Gents took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning as senior 3B Brady Robinson (Jacksonville, Texas) delivered a two-out single to score junior SS Noah Koehmstedt (San Diego, Calif.). Centenary then added three more over the next two innings to open up a 4-0 lead after five. Two runners scored on an error by Trinity SS Michael Montrezza in the fourth and senior C Ben Bridges (Beckville, Texas) belted a solo home run to left in the fifth.
The Tigers finally got to Centenary starting pitcher, junior RHP Parker Primeaux (Lake Charles, La.) in the sixth as they scored three runs to cut the Diamond Gents' lead to 4-3. LF Brian Schaub singled to lead off the inning and RF Jack Vonderhaar followed with a double to put runners at second and third. Primeaux got C Tyler Pettit to pop out but 2B Christian Holloway delivered a two-run single. Trinity 1B MJ Metz then dropped a double in front of Centenary senior LF Tyler Welch (Pineville, La.) who was playing deep and Montrezza raced home with the Tigers' third run.
Centenary, though, responded immediately with four runs in the top of the seventh to extend its lead to 8-3. Welch tripled to lead off the inning and Trinity went to the bullpen as Joel Thomas replaced starter Samuel Conte (4-3). Robinson greeted Thomas with an RBI single to score Welch and senior 1B Preston Ludwick (Pflugerville, Texas) grounded to third as Robinson advanced to second.
Bridges singled to put runners on the corners and sophomore Julien DeLeon (Shreveport) was called on to pinch-hit for senior DH Tyler Erickson (Houston, Texas). The big lefty, who has a knack for clutch pinch-hits all season, came through again with a two-run double to left-center to score Bridges and Robinson to make it 7-3. Junior 2B Cole Collins (Shreveport, La.) singled home pinch runner, sophomore Christian Dennis (Shreveport) to make it 8-3. Each team scored a run in the eighth as Centenary held a 9-4 lead entering the ninth.
Collins walked with one out and Hewitt doubled him home for a 10-4 lead. Koehmstedt was hit by a pitch and Welch followed with an RBI single to score Hewitt. Koehmstedt then came home on a balk to make it 12-4. Three Centenary pitchers were used in the bottom of the ninth as the Tigers staged a late rally, scoring four runs and had the tying run in the on-deck circle when the final out was recorded.
Primeaux (9-4) went six innings and allowed three runs, all earned, and 10 hits and was removed after allowing a leadoff single to Trinity CF Ezra Gore in the seventh. Primeaux did not walk a batter and struck out five. Sophomore LHP Jacob Colby (Kingwood, Texas) relieved Primeaux after the single to Gore and allowed a single and a walk but got Vonderhaar to strike out. Junior RHP Hank Bennett (Richmond, Texas) came in for Colby and got Pettit to fly out to end the inning.
Junior RHP Christian Diaz (Houston, Texas), junior RHP Jacob Lievre (Katy, Texas), and sophomore LHP Barrett Keene (Jena, La.) all pitched in the eighth and ninth. Diaz came in for Bennett in the eighth after 3B Jack Wisniewski delivered an RBI single. He got Gore on a flyout and retired DH Nathan Braulick to strand two runners on base.
Conte went six innings and allowed five runs, three earned, and seven hits with three walks and two K's. Thomas went 0.1 innings and faced four batters, allowing three earned runs on three hits. Cam Sheets pitched an inning and allowed one unearned run and two hits with a walk and a strikeout. Cade McGahan became the fourth Tigers' pitcher of the game and was touched for three earned runs and two hits in 1.2 innings with a walk.
Centenary finished with 14 hits, recording its 27th multi-hit performance of the season and topped 13 hits in a game for the 18th time. The Maroon and White also scored 10+ runs for the 17th time this season. Trinity had 18 hits but left 14 men on base, committed two errors and struck out six times. Centenary left nine on, made one error, struck out just three times, and drew five walks.
Welch led the Centenary offense as he went 4-5 with an RBI, a run scored, and a walk from the leadoff spot. Bridges, Erickson, and Robinson combined to go 6-12 with four RBI and three runs scored. Ludwick was 0-4 but walked twice and played outstanding defense at first base.
For more information on the 2022 SCAC Baseball Tournament, click here for the official website.
See the complete Diamond Gents' season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/bsb/2021-22/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests but be advised of current COVID-19 protocols for fans. Updated COVID-19 information is now available via www.GoCentenary.com.
Live stats and live video stream are available for all Centenary home contests. Please note that all dates and times are subject to change.
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