PULASKI, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Southern baseball team closed out their regular season on Saturday playing a rare nine-inning twin bill with Blue Mountain Christian. Games one and two were scheduled for Thursday, but the threat of rain caused the first nine frame game to be postponed. UTS routed the BMCU 13-3 in game two but gave up six unanswered runs in the final five innings to fall 6-5 in 11 innings. UTS moved to 18-30 overall and 10-20 in league play on the season.
GAME TWO: UTS 13, BMCU 3 (8)
The Firehawks scored in the first inning off a
Cody Womble single to right center that drove in
Cannon Raby. UTS led 1-0.
Blue Mountain took the lead in the second, scoring two runs.
UTS had a huge inning in the third, scoring four runs.
Coleman Siniard singled up the middle creating a scoring opportunity for Womble on a Topper error.
Cole Barnett followed with a double down the left field line scoring
Brayden Buckner.
Mason Billions hit a sacrifice fly to right center driving in
Gage Beckner.
Evan Nelson capped the inning off with a single up the middle scoring Barnett. UTS led 5-2 after three.
In the fifth, both teams would score runs. The Toppers added one run on a ground out. The Firehawks put three runs up in the frame. Raby singled to right scoring
Collin Perkins and a BMCU error allowed Nelson to cross the plate. Womble blasted one up the middle creating another Topper miscue for Perkins to score. UTS led 8-3 after five.
In the eighth, the Firehawks walked off a win scoring five runs. Barnett homered off the scoreboard to start the spree. Perkins doubled to left driving in
Jamil Betancourt. Nleson added a single through the left side plating Perkins. Womble singled down the right field line driving in Nelson. Siniard launched a long single off the wall in left scoring Raby.
Jake Stuteville (6-1) tossed the complete game allowing three earned runs. He gave up seven hits and struckout nine.
GAME THREE: BMCU 6, UTS 5 (11)
UTS scored the first five runs of the game over the first six innings. Billions drove in the first run on a single to left scoring Beckner. UTS led 1-0 after two.
Buckner hit a sacrifice fly to center driving in
Devin Buckhalter. Siniard singled down the left field line driving in Womble and Raby. UTS led 4-0 after three.
In the sixth, Womble doubled down the left field line knocking in Buckhalter. UTS led 5-0 after six.
In the eighth, BMCU hit two home runs totaling five runs to tie the game.
The Toppers broke the tie in the 11
th to win 6-5.
Chambers McGilberry tossed 7.2 innings allowing three earned runs on eight hits. He struck out six.
Tavien Tigg gave up two hits.
Ridge Raper (4-10) took the loss tossing 3.1 innings from the pen. Raper allowed one earned run on two hits. He struck out four.
Womble also notched the lead in an SSAC season stat in today's double header. He leads the league in snake removal from the playing surface.
SSAC CHAMPIONSHIP
The SSAC baseball championship is set to begin on Wednesday, April 30, in Jackson, Tenn. Seedings for the tournament are still undetermined.
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