GEORGETOWN, Texas – The Gents led 7-1 before the Pirates rallied within a single-run, but Centenary (17-20-1, 9-7 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) held on for the 10-7 win at Southwestwern (22-16, 9-7 SCAC) Friday night, April 26.
Up 2-1, Centenary erupted for five runs in the fifth to take a five-run lead. With one out, Brandon Griffin singled and advanced to second on Tyler Welch's infield hit. Charlie Allbritton plated both runs with an RBI double. Shane Salzman followed with a single to put runners on the corners before Andrew Russell put the Gents up 5-2 with an RBI single. A groundout moved both runners into scoring position before a wild pitch and a single from Cody Crowder opened up the 7-1 Centenary lead.
Southwestern pulled within 7-6 in the sixth, but Centenary scored two big insurance runs in the eighth. After two singles began the inning, Welch laid down a sacrifice to try to move both runners into scoring position, but an error loaded the bases with no outs. Tyler Erickson hit an infield single and Russell grounded into a fielder's choice that plated a run. Both teams scored in the ninth for the final 10-7 score.
Griffin and Welch led the Centenary offense with three hits while Welch scored three times. Andy Purpura (2-2) picked up the win, allowing seven hits and four runs (three earned) in 5 innings of work. Connor Lee threw the final 3.1 innings and allowed two hits and an unearned run in 3.1 innings of work.
Southwestern pulled within one with five runs in the sixth. After a single and two walks loaded the bases, Hayden Craig walked in a run. Chase Thinger grounded in a double play to score a run, but Ted Lobkowicz singled to cut the lead to 7-4. After a hit by pitch, Cole Kelly added an RBI single. Byron Dowdell II singled in the fifth run of the inning, but Lee got a strikeout to end the threat.
Kelly, Dowdell II, and Seth Sparks all added two hits for the Pirates. Austin Smith (7-1) picked up the loss, allowing 11 hits and seven runs in 4.2 innings of work.
Centenary and Southwestern conclude the weekend with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon, April 27.
