Shreveport - The Centenary baseball team fell 6-5 to the Alma College Scots on Friday afternoon in the opener of a three-game non-conference series at Shehee Stadium.
The Diamond Gents (3-2) were back in action for the first time since completing a series win at home over Ozarks on Feb. 11. Centenary's annual trip to California for multiple non-conference games was cancelled due to the Winter Storm that hit the state last weekend. The Scots improved to 3-6-1 with the win.
Centenary took a 2-0 lead after the first inning but Alma scored four times in the top of the fifth to take a 4-2 lead. The Diamond Gents responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-4 lead, but the Scots scored two in the top of the seventh and held on for the one-run win.
Sophomore LHP Tyler Herrera (Spring, Texas) started and suffered the loss for Centenary as he went 6.1 innings and allowed six runs, four earned, on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. Senior RHP Parker Primeaux (Lake Charles, La.) came in and pitched the final 2.2 innings and allowed four hits with a walk and a strikeout as he held the Scots scoreless.
Brendan McManus started for the Scots and pitched four innings, allowing two earned runs and three hits with three walks and two K's. Three relievers followed, as Blake Stone pitched two innings and allowed three runs, one earned, on three hits. He did not walk or strike out a batter. Josh West (1-0) picked up the win as he went 1.2 innings and allowed two hits with two K's. Chase Balhoff got the save as he went 1.1 innings and allowed one hit. McManus, Stone, and West each hit a batter.
The Diamond Gents scored both of their runs in the first inning with two outs. Junior 2B Jobee Boone (Opelousas, La.) singled through the right side and sophomore RF Cade LaBruyere (Iowa, La.) walked. Freshman DH Lenny Forth (Flower Mound, Texas) then walked to load the bases. McManus then committed a balk which brought Boone home and LaBruyere scored on a wild pitch. Junior C Austyn Benoit (Welsh, La.) was hit by a pitch but McManus got junior SS Noah Koehmstedt (San Diego, Calif.) to ground out to end the inning and escape further damage.
C Padyn Kesserling had an RBI double and 2B Dalton D'Alexander delivered an RBI single to tie the game in the top of the fifth. The Scots scored their third run on a wild pitch and 1B Avery Carnicom had an RBI single to make it 4-2. Forth led off the Centenary sixth with a single and after Benoit flew out, Koehmstedt reached on an error to put runners on first and second with one out. Freshman 1B Caleb Ickes (Prarieville, La.) ripped a double to center to score Forth.
The Scots threw Koehmstedt out at the plate on a fielder's choice ground ball by junior PH Julien DeLeon (Shreveport, La.), and then senior CF Gary Hewitt (Cedar Park, Texas) was hit by a pitch. Freshman LF Carson Livesay (Lafayette, La.) then came through with a clutch two-run single to give the Diamond Gents a 5-4 lead.
Herrera allowed a walk and a single with one out in the seventh and Primeaux came in. Carnicom rudely greeted him with a single and Hewitt misplayed the ball as both runners scored to give the Scots a 6-5 lead. Primeaux walked 3B Kyler Warren but Centenary threw Carnicom out at the plate to end the inning after he attempted to score on ball to the back stop on a walk to RF Nolan Chilcutt.
LaBruyere started the Centenary seventh with a double and Forth was hit by a pitch for a promising start to the inning. Benoit flew out and LaBruyere scampered to third base. Koehmstedt and Forth stole second base to put the go ahead runs at second and third with two outs. West got Ickes to ground out to end the inning and preserve the lead. LaBruyere tried to start a rally again in the ninth as he led off with a single. Balhoff, though, retired the next three batters to secure the win for the Scots.
Alma finished with 10 hits, drew four walks, and stole two bases. Centenary totaled nine hits and drew three walks while also stealing two bags. The Scots left five on base, struck out eight times, and committed one error. The Diamond Gents left 11 on, struck out five times, and committed three errors.
Livesay was 3-5 with two RBI and a stolen base, LaBruyere went 2-4 with a run scored and a walk, and Ickes finished 1-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Hewitt, Boone, and Forth each had one hit and LaBruyere, Forth, and Benoit each drew a walk.
Canicom was 3-4 with two RBI and a walk for the Scots while Cornman was 2-4. Chilcutt went 1-3 with a run scored and a walk, and D'Alexander finished 2-4 with an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base.
The series concludes on Saturday with a doubleheader set for 1 and 4 p.m.
See the complete Gents' season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests. 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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