SUWANEE, Ga. - Conference play began for Austin College, Hendrix, Millsaps and Trinity. Oglethorpe also opened up its 2011 schedule with three games this past week leaving just Centre, DePauw and Sewanee as the remaining SCAC teams left to open up their 2011 seasons.
AROUND THE SCAC
Austin College dropped both halves of its season opening series against Trinity, making the 'Roos 0-2 both overall and in SCAC play this season. On Saturday the 'Roos jumped out to a 4-1 lead midway through the fourth inning but Trinity would score seven unanswered the rest of the way to hand Austin College the 8-4 loss. Scott Cottingham went 3-for-4 while Andy White, Scooter Merritt and Tyler Appelquist each picked up a pair of hits in the game, while Tyler Steed took the loss after giving up six earned runs in 5.2 innings of work. On Sunday, the 'Roos fell in an 8-2 hole before rallying back with a six run seventh inning, but Trinity answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning and the 'Roos were unable to complete their comeback, falling 15-10. Cottingham went 1-for-3 with a homer while Austin Molinaro had a two run homer in his only at bat and Merritt went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in. Matt Burke took the loss, giving up four runs on six hits in 5.0 innings of work.
Birmingham-Southern swept Maryville (Tenn.) in a two-game series this weekend with a 20-8 win on Saturday and a 4-1 win on Sunday. In the 20-8 win on Saturday, BSC trailed 6-3 heading into the bottom of the fourth before exploding for 11 runs that inning and six more in the sixth, including a grand slam by sophomore Bruce Maxwell. Sophomore transfer Brandon Perry also had a good weekend, going 6-of-8 at the plate with two RBIs and six total bases. Perry leads the Panthers overall with a .474 average and Maxwell leads with eight RBIs. Senior Richard Vance and freshman Lewis Hammond picked up wins on the mound this weekend, and senior Clay Jones picked up a save in Sunday's game. The Panthers are on the road for the next three weeks, beginning with a game at LaGrange this Tuesday evening, and then three games this weekend in Demorest, Ga., hosted by Piedmont College.
Centre will open its season Saturday, Feb. 19 against NCAA Division II Urbana University. The Colonels are coming off a 12-21 (5-10 SCAC) 2010 season. The meeting between Centre and Urbana is believed to be the first meeting between the schools.
DePauw opens the 2011 season on Saturday, February 19 with a doubleheader at Maryville (Tenn.). The two teams will then finish the three game-set on February 20 with a single contest. The Tigers split four meetings last year with the Scots and have split the past six meetings dating back to the 2009 season.
Millsaps opened SCAC-play this weekend with a pair of wins over Hendrix. The Majors took game one of the series on Saturday 3-1. MC took control in the fifth as Kevin Wall lined a double up the middle, then stole third and advanced home on a throwing error by the Warrior catcher, who had tried to throw Wall out at the bag. Will Hawkins brought the Majors an insurance run in the eighth after a lead-off single. Wes Perkins hit a hard line to the shortstop, but Hendrix couldn't turn the double play as Perkins beat the throw to allow Hawkins to score. On Sunday afternoon the Majors needed two extra innings to get the job done, but came away with the 4-3 win and the series sweep. Hendrix tied the game in the top of the ninth to force the extra frames. Both teams hung zeroes in the tenth. The Majors ended the game in the bottom of the eleventh thanks to some Hendrix miscues. Kevin Wall led off the inning being hit by the pitch to take first. He then advanced to second on a wild pitch in the dirt. That set up Drew Leonard to drive in the winning run with a sac bunt to end the game 4-3. The Majors will return to Twenty Field Tuesday night to host cross-town rival Mississippi College. First pitch with the Choctaws is slated for 6 p.m.
Oglethorpe got its season underway this past weekend, dropping two out of three to LaGrange and Emory. LaGrange bested the Petrels in their season opener on Friday, 7-2. On Saturday, Oglethorpe fell at Emory 14-4 before recovering to pay the Eagles back on Sunday with their first win of the season, 7-5. In Sunday's win, the Petrels scored four runs in the decisive eighth inning. Neal Amos, normally a pitcher but performing ably in a right-field start, drew a leadoff walk in the inning. Second baseman Jake Spear followed with a single, and center fielder Jeff Pope with a sacrifice bunt, his second of the game. Then Matt Cornwell, who started at shortstop but was pitching at the time, delivered a game-tying two-run single. Left fielder Brendan Pilger kept the rally going with a double, and after an intentional walk of catcher Jeff Brothers, third baseman Cory Leff delivered the eventual game-winning two-run single. Oglethorpe is back in action on Tuesday when they face Piedmont on Anderson Field.
Rhodes took on Huntingdon this weekend in a three game set, dropping Saturday's game 18-8, took the first game on Sunday 6-3, before dropping the second game on Sunday 5-4. Sophomore Tony Pikos picked up his, as well as the Lynx, first victory of the season on Sunday working 5 innings, allowing 3 hits, 3 unearned runs, walked 4, and struck out 9. Pikos is now 1-0 on the year. Junior Austin Carden came away with a no decision in the second game after working 6 innings, allowing 7 hits, no runs, one walk, and struck out 7. The Lynx offense was led by freshman 2B Stewart Martens who hit .625 (5-8) with 2 doubles, 3 runs scored, drove in 2, and walked twice. Martens had a .700 on base percentage and a slugging percentage of .875. Senior OF Matt Gilbert hit .462 (6-13) with 3 doubles, 3 runs, 3 RBIs, and stole 2 bases. Rhodes returns to action this weekend with a single game Saturday and Sunday at home against #15 Mississippi College.
Sewanee will open up the 2011 baseball season on February 19 when they head to LaGrange College for a double-header with the Panthers. The Tigers lost all four meetings with the Panthers a year ago. Sewanee's last win against LaGrange came on February 22, 2009 in a 20-14 victory at LaGrange.
No. 20 Trinity swept a two-game SCAC series against Austin College over the weekend, winning 8-4 on Saturday and 15-10 on Sunday. Sunday's win was the 378th in head coach Tim Scannell's career, making him the winningest coach in Trinity history. Scannell passes Trinity Hall of Fame coach Houston Wheeler, who passed away over the holidays. The Tigers hit .400 as a team for the two games, opening SCAC play with two wins for the third time in the last four seasons. Trinity has won three straight games after losing in the second game of the season against Birmingham-Southern. Trinity will play four games this week, opening up its road schedule. The Tigers play at Mary Hardin-Baylor on Tuesday afternoon, followed by a three-game weekend series at Sul Ross State University. The Tigers play Friday and Saturday nights, followed by the series finale on Sunday afternoon.
For the complete SCAC Diamond Weekly for Week 2, click here.
.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=139&crop=true)
.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=139&crop=true)
