MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The W baseball came out on the short end of both games of Saturday's doubleheader at Huntingdon College, 12-2 and 9-8 in 10 innings. The Owls fell to 0-4 on the young season.
In game one of the day, MUW scored in the first and last in the seventh, but in between host Huntingdon plated 12 runs and held the Owls in check.
The W's runs came via an RBI single from
Zach Johnson (1-3) in the first frame, driving home
Baron Brack (1-2). Then, in the top of the seventh,
Tyler Estabrook's (1-2) single brought in
Swayze Rikard (1-2).
In all, MUW had five hits.
Chris Ellis (0-1) got the start for MUW and took the loss. Ellis was touched up for five hits and six runs (five earned) in 2.0 innings. Reliever
Jackson Gantt did not fare much better over his 3.0 innings, allowing five hits and six runs (four earned).
Only The W's third hurler of the day,
Joseph Gantt, was unscathed with 2.0 perfect innings of work.
The nightcap proved to be a heartbreaker for the Owls, after going up 3-0 in their first at-bat. An RBI triple off of the bat of Johnson (2-5 2 RBI) was followed by run-scoring singles by
Cole Evans (1-5) and
Zack Egan (1-5).
But the Hawks chipped away with single runs in the second, third, and fourth to knot matters at 3-3. The W got two in the fifth on Estabrook's (3-4, 3 runs) RBI triple and an RBI single by Johnson. Brack (1-5) honored in the seventh to make it 6-4 in favor of the Owls.
But a three-spot in the bottom of the seventh allowed HC to regain the lead, 7-6.
Josh Mackey had a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth, as the two teams traded runs.
In the top of the ninth, Estabrook led off with a single through the left side. That was followed by a grounder to first by Johnson, that was misplayed for an error, with Estabrook scampering to third and Johnson to second.
Loren Cox (1-3, 2 runs, 2 walks) grounded out to second, allowing Estabrook to score the tying run and send it to extras, where the Hawks would eventually win it on a walk-off sacrifice fly, 9-8.
Campbell McCluney (0-1) – MUW's third pitcher of the game – took the loss, scattering four hits over 2.0 innings. Starter
Landon Clark went 4.2 innings, permitting six hits, four earned runs, had six strikeouts and walked three.
Will Carter was the Owls' second man in and also gave up six hits and four earned runs over 2.2 frames.
The two teams provided plenty of entertainment for offensive-minded fans, combining for 28 hits (16 by HC and 12 for MUW).
