Posted: May 04, 2019
CLEBURNE, Texas -- Southwestern jumped out to an 11-3 lead but had to survive a late Centenary rally to pull out an 11-10 victory in Saturday's first elimination game of the 2019 SCAC Baseball Tournament. Official Website l Bracket l Interview w/ Southwestern Head Coach JC Bunch and Colby Schmidt | Photo Gallery
HOW IT HAPPENED
- With Centenary leading 3-2, Southwestern batted around in the top of the fifth, scoring six runs on five hits to take 8-3. The Pirates scored five of their runs that inning with two outs, with Seth Sparks provinding the big hit, a two-run, two-out single. Colby Schmidt, Chase Thinger and Ted Lobkowicz each had RBI singles to extend the rally.
- Southwestern added three more in the sixth, with Schmidt doing the big damage with a two run RBI double to left that scored Cole Kelly and Daniel Montgomery.
- Centenary started its rally in the bottom of the seventh with two runs to cut the margin to 11-5 and scored four more in the eighth. Brandon Griffin's two-RBI single was followed by a wild pitch that scored a run and a single by Shane Salzman that scored Griffin to make it 11-9.
- Just as it had done the previous evening, Centenary again threated in the ninth, pulling within one after Preston Ludwick singled in Chris Haggard. But a fly out to centerfield ended the Gents' rally and the team's tournament run.
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Colby Schmidt: 3-4, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 runs
- Cole Kelly: 1-2, 3 runs, 1 RBI, 3 BB
- Daniel Montgomery: 2-4, 1 2B, 2 runs
- Colton Hunter: 7.0 IP, 10 hits, 7 ER, 1 BB
CENTENARY COLLEGE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Brandon Griffin: 2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI
- Tyler Welch: 3-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 run
- Preston Ludwick: 2-5, 1 run, 1 RBI
- Josh McLean: 3.2 IP, 1 hits, 0 R, 2 K, 1 BB
NOTABLES
- Southwestern and Centenary have played in each of the last six tournaments with Southwestern cutting Centenary's series margin to 3-4 with today's victory. The two played twice in last year's tournament, splitting their contests.
- Colton Hunter improved to 7-2 with the win.
- The victory puts Southwestern into Saturday night's Game 5 finale for the fifth straight year. The Pirates are 1-3 in their previous appearances in those elimination games.
UP NEXT
Southwestern (24-18) advances to take on Trinity in another elimination game immediately to follow Saturday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:45 p.m. CT. Centenary ends its season with an 18-23-1 mark.
