Ozark, AL—The 2012 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Baseball Championship kicked off on Thursday, April 26th at Historic Eagle Stadium in Ozark, AL. Here is a recap of the first day of action.
#1E Claflin University def. #4W Tuskegee University, 17-7
Claflin University, the #1 seed in the east, defeated Tuskegee University, the #4 seed in the west, in the first game of the 2012 SIAC Baseball Championship by a score of 17-7.
The Panthers scored 16 runs in the first three innings, including six runs in both the second and third, to take a 16-3 lead into the fourth. Tuskegee would add four runs in the top of the sixth but the deficit would be too much to overcome.
Brett Bullard led the way for Claflin, going 4-for-5 from the plate with three RBIs while Chauncey Davis went 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Panther first baseman Jasper Brown also hit a two-run home run in third. Claflin pitcher Dalton Tresvant pitched five innings while giving up just four hits to secure the win.
Tuskegee outfielder Cameron Duncan scored a team-high two runs while also driving in two more runs while Danny Barnes, Jr. also recorded two RBIs.
#1E Claflin will advance to take on #3E Albany State University on Friday at 3 p.m. while Tuskegee will fall to the loser’s bracket to face #2W Miles at 9 a.m. on Friday.
#3E Albany State University def. #2W Miles College, 10-9
The Miles College Golden Bears (22-17) fell in ten innings to the Golden Rams of Albany State University (19-20) Thursday afternoon 10-9 in day one action of the SIAC Baseball Championship in Ozark, AL.
Austin Williams went 7.0 innings for the Golden Bears giving up five runs (two earned) on eight hits. Don Mack took over in the eight for 2.1 innings and the loss while allowing four runs on two hits. Justin Bartley went 0.2 innings in relief with one run given up.
John Nesbitt threw a complete game for Albany State and the win in ten innings, giving up nine runs (four earned) on 16 hits.
In the first inning, Albany State scored first on an Eddie Mathis triple and William Smalls single scoring Mathis for a 1-0 lead.
Miles went ahead 4-1 in the bottom half, as Justin Langdale walked, Jeffery Jones singled, advancing Langdale to second. Kelend Smith reached base on a shortstop error, advancing Jones to third and Langdale scored for the 1-1 tie. Jordan Bisharat walked, Smith advanced to second and Joshua Grooms reached on a fielder’s choice. Bisharat and Smith advanced to score, as Justin Bartley’s reaching base on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on an error by the second baseman. Anthony Jones singled to score Bartley.
Albany State would tie the game in the third with three runs, as Kareem Hayes singled, Patrick Smith singled, advancing Hayes to second. Corbin Williams reached on an error by the pitcher and advanced to third. Hayes and Smith scored, Jacob Campbell sac fly to right field scored Williams for the 4-4 tie.
Both teams played scoreless ball until Albany State took a one run lead in the seventh. Williams walked, and then advanced to second on a sac bunt to the pitcher. Campbell singled to score Williams for a 5-4 lead.
Miles tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom, as Bisharat walked, advanced to second on a Grooms sac bunt to the first baseman. Julius Fain pinch ran for Bisharat and moved to third on an Anthony Jones single, and then Courtney Kelley singled to score Fain.
Miles scored two runs in the eight to take a 7-5 lead. Langdale singled then scored on Smith’s double and Grooms later singled to score Smith.
In the ninth, Albany State plated two more runs for the tie with Williams singled and advancing to second on a wild pitch. Campbell walked, Smalls walked and Rickey Harris singled Williams and Campbell in for the tie.
In the tenth, the Golden Rams went ahead by three runs, when Stephen Lightfoot walked, Smith was hit by a pitch and Williams singled to score Lightfoot. Smith and Williams stole third and second, and then scored on a throwing error by the catcher down the left field line for a 10-7 lead.
In the bottom of the tenth, Fain, Grooms and Bartley singled to load the bases. Anthony Jones grounded out to short, scoring Fain and advancing Grooms to third. Grooms scored the final run on a wild pitch, advancing Bartley to third with two outs. Kelley struck out swinging.
Miles moves to the loser’s bracket and will play Tuskegee University on Friday, April 27 at 9 a.m. Albany State will play Claflin University at 3 p.m.
#1W Stillman College def. #4E Benedict College, 3-2
Stillman College scored a single run in each of the first three innings and held on to defeat the Benedict College Tigers 3-2 in the opening round of the 2012 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Baseball Championship Thursday afternoon at Eagle Field.
In a tight pitching duel, Stillman's Josh Cagle (7-4) beat out Benedict's John Walton (5-5). Cagle scattered eight hits, struck out seven and walked one. Walton allowed eight hits, struck out four and walked two, as well as taking a pair of line drive shots off his body.
With the loss, Benedict falls to 20-16 overall. The Tigers drop to the loser's bracket and will face the loser between Thursday night's contest between Kentucky State and Paine. That elimination game will be Friday at noon. Stillman, 25-16, will face the winner between Kentucky State and Paine at 6 p.m.
Benedict opened the game with a run in the first inning. With two outs, Lashante Grimes singled up the middle and stole second base. Lydell Moseby ripped a single into left field to score Grimes from second.
Stillman tied the game in the bottom of the first. Jarius Brown, the SIAC Player of the Year, reached on a fielder's choice, moved to second on a wild pitch, and game home on a two-out single by Paul Winterbottom.
Stillman took the lead in the second inning when Kameron McCreless singled and Logan Hunter followed with a double into left-center field to score McCreless.
The Stillman Tigers increased the lead to 3-1 in the third inning as Brown led off the inning with a hard-hit ball deep to the shortstop. He stole second, and advanced to third when Benedict catcher's throw on the steal attempt sailed past the target. Winterbottom brought him home on a groundout play.
Walton held Stillman in check the rest of the way, giving up just three hits over the final five innings. Two of those hits were off the body of Walton, as he was drilled by a pair of line-drives, taking a shot to his lower leg in the fourth and another shot to his pitching arm in the fifth.
The Benedict Tigers cut the lead in the seventh. Christopher Moye and Elisha McDaniel hit back-to-back singles. Then, with two outs, Christopher Lail ripped a two-out shot into right field to score Moye.
Moseby led off the ninth inning with a single to center field, but the Tigers hit back-to-back popups and a groundout to end the game.
#3W Kentucky State University def. #2E Paine College, 9-7
Kentucky State University defeated Paine College, 9-7, in the fourth game of the 2012 SIAC Baseball Championship in Ozark, AL.
The Thorobreds took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Alexander Davie. Paine would respond in the bottom of the third by scoring four runs, including an RBI single by William Van Winkle.
Down 4-1 in the top of the eighth, Kentucky State scored five runs, including a double down the right field line that drove in three runs, to take a 6-4 lead. The Lions would again respond, this time with three runs in the bottom of the eight which included a two-run single by Van Winkle.
But Kentucky State would not be denied as they scored three runs the top of the ninth to secure the win.
Alexander Davie went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored for the Thorobreds while teammate Ben Tabb was 1-for-2 with four runs batted in.
Van Winkle had a team-high three hits with three RBIs for Paine College.
James Coleman pitched seven innings for KSU with two strikeouts but Joshua O’Reel won the decision after pitching two scoreless innings.
Kentucky State advances to play Stillman at 6 p.m. on Friday while Paine falls to the loser’s bracket to face Benedict at 12 p.m.