Four teams are set to advance after a riveting day one of play in the 2024 Cricket SIAC Baseball Championship Tournament.
Edward Waters,
Spring Hill,
Albany State and
Savannah State have all advanced to the winner's bracket at Albany State University's West Campus Complex.
GAME 1 | (3) EDWARD WATERS VS. (6) LANE
Edward Waters (28-18, 21-11 SIAC), the No. 3 team in the SIAC, played to its strengths in the tournaments opening round Thursday, clinching a 12-5 comeback victory over a No. 6 Lane (20-23, 18-14 SIAC).
The Dragons took the lead in the game's first inning thanks to strong play and an Edward Waters throwing error to make it 4-0 by the end of the ½ inning, but Edward Waters would bounce back in the bottom of the first.
Anthony Roman tripled to right field to bring in senior
Daquarius Thompkins, setting off a series of scoring plays to tip the scale by the end of the first.
Edward Waters led the contest at the end of the second inning (7-4), capitalizing on the team's batting prowess and a series of Lane defensive errors.
Despite the Dragons' efforts to hold their ground, Edward Waters continued to expand its lead.
Erickson Matos was at the forefront of notable Tiger performances. The sophomore infielder hit a critical double in the seventh inning, driving in two runs.
Edward Waters would maintain their defensive stronghold after the eighth inning, preventing Lane from closing the gap.
With the win, the Tigers advance to the tournament's sixth game, rivaling a No. 2 Spring Hill (39-19, 25-7 SIAC).
GAME 2 | (2) SPRING HILL VS. (7) MOREHOUSE
No. 7 Morehouse (22-27, 15-17 SIAC) would punch its ticket to the loser's bracket after an intense 4-3 contest Thursday, falling to No. 2 Spring Hill (39-19, 25-7 SIAC).
The teams showcased strong defensive plays in the game's first inning, but the Maroon Tigers scored the first run of the contest in the second inning.
A wild pitch allowed Morehouse freshman
Robert Robinson Jr. to dash home from third, but a Spring Hill response in the third inning would see an
Eli Benoit single down the left field line, driving redshirt junior
Jackson Bell in for a score-tying run.
The teams maintained a tight score, 3-3, in the game's eighth inning, relying on skilled pitches and defensive play.
Spring Hill's
Jack Taylor clinched the game in its 12th inning with a decisive single down the right field line, bringing in redshirt junior
Seth Williams and closing the game at 4-3.
The Badgers advance to the tournament's sixth game, vs. No. 3 Edward Waters (28-18, 21-11 SIAC) tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET.
GAME 3 | (1) ALBANY STATE VS. (8) KENTUCKY STATE
The 2024 SIAC Baseball Regular Season Champions, Albany State (35-10, 30-3 SIAC), continued their dominance Thursday, by securing an 8-2 win over No. 8 Kentucky State (20-29, 14-17 SIAC).
It was a scoreless first inning as the Thorobreds'
Kelton Saylor advanced to second and third, but freshman infielder
Mitchell Collins would strike out looking before the close out.
Albany State's
Hill Corley was the first to score in the contest, reaching home on a Kentucky State throwing error initiated by a
Nathan Saavedra single in the second inning.
The Golden Rams extended their lead with a three-run rally in the same inning, propelled by a
Zane Ross two-run single.
Kentucky State struggled to find its rhythm, yielding only two runs in the ninth inning.
Brad Dossett and
Mitchell Collins contributed, recording an RBI double and RBI single, respectively.
Junior pitcher
Jeremiah Reddell kept the Thorobreds at bay, allowing just eight hits while striking out several batters over nine innings.
Albany State would advance to the tournament's eighth contest, to face No. 4 Savannah State (29-13, 21-12 SIAC).
GAME 4 | GAME 4 | (5) MILES VS. (4) SAVANNAH STATE
No. 4 Savannah State (29-13, 21-12 SIAC) reigned victorious in an extra-inning thriller against
Miles (22-22, 20-12 SIAC), Thursday.
Play at the bottom of the 11th inning sealed the Tigers' victory.
D'sean Prinkleton delivered a decisive single to center field, driving in
Jadon Oden for the game-winning run.
Miles struggled to capitalize on opportunities throughout the contest, with
Max Davenport and
Tyler Spruill striking out swinging.
Defensive efforts were strong on both sides, with the game featuring six total errors (three per team) that influenced the game's dynamic and prolonged the action.
With the win (4-3), the Tigers advance to the tournament's eighth contest, against No. 1 Albany State (35-10, 30-3 SIAC), tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET.
The 2024 Cricket SIAC Baseball Championship Tournament continues tomorrow, with championship play beginning at 10 a.m. ET. Visit the
championship webpage and follow the SIAC on
Facebook,
Instagram and
X (formerly known as Twitter) for updates!
About the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of historically black colleges and universities with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors seven men's and six women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
www.thesiac.com.