PULASKI, Tenn. – The Martin Methodist Baseball team split a weekend doubleheader versus conference rival Bethel (Tenn.) Saturday afternoon at Bobby Walker Field.
The RedHawks (27-20, 13-10 SSAC) also recognized and celebrated the careers of eight seniors in between games as part of Senior Day 2019 festivities.
After heavy rain on Friday, the teams convened on Saturday to play the final two ballgames of the series. The opener broke in favor of the RedHawks as they rallied for a come-from-behind victory in the bottom of the seventh by a 6-5 margin.
Saturday's nine-inning nightcap saw the visitors score four runs in the final three innings to pull away for the 9-6 victory.
With the split, the RedHawks sit tied for fourth position in the SSAC standings with three games left to play.
The RedHawks will close their 2019 regular season with four games this week. Tuesday, the RedHawks will head to Lebanon, Tennessee for a matchup at Cumberland University. Thursday, the RedHawks will begin a season-ending Thursday-Friday conference series versus Middle Georgia.
Senior first baseman Rob McMasters turned in a big weekend for the RedHawks as he went 4-for-8 at the plate with two doubles, a home run and five RBI in the two ballgames. McMasters one-out double in the seventh inning tied the ballgame at 5-5 and his pinch runner, Will Clemons, came around for the eventual winning run. Fellow senior Riley Phillips was the one that delivered the walkoff hit in the bottom of the seventh.
After a leadoff double in the top of the seventh, Matt Westberry (4-0) retired the rest of the Bethel hitters without incident. With the RedHawks plating two in the bottom half of the frame, he picked up his first win on the mound since a victory versus Mobile (Ala.) back on March 8.
The nightcap proved to be just as tightly contested as the opener as the teams remained deadlocked at 2-2 after two full innings and 5-5 after five full innings. The Wildcats struck for a pair of go-ahead runs in the seventh, but the RedHawks rallied to pull within striking distance in the eighth. And while the RedHawks moved two runners into scoring position, they recorded three straight outs to trail by one.
The Wildcats capitalized on a RedHawk error to get the leadoff hitter in the ninth aboard and moved him into scoring position via sacrifice bunt. A wild pitch from Westberry moved the runner to third and an ensuing walk moved runners to the corners. A well-timed bunt allowed the run to come around and score. A Westberry throwing error allowed the second run of the inning to score.
Desmond Williams led the ninth off with a single to right field, but Clemons followed up with a strikeout. Senior Drew Nipper laced a ball right back up the middle, but a sensational effort from the Bethel middle infield produced a game-ending double play.
