The Oglethorpe baseball team rallied past Sewanee twice Friday to sweep a doubleheader at Anderson Field and secure all three games of the SAA series between the two teams.
The Stormy Petrels took Game 1, 6-3, after rallying for four runs in the fifth, then used a nine-run rally in the sixth inning of Game 2 to take that one, 11-4. The victories improve the Petrels to 9-8 on the season going into the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational against tough non-conference competition next week. The two wins also improve the team to 4-5 in SAA play on the season.
In Game 1, the Petrels jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning after left fielder Andre Turnquest and center fielder Vernon Trice singled and walked to lead off the inning, respectively. Third baseman Austin Ferlita followed with a two-run single that he chopped over the third baseman's head.
Sewanee got a run back in the third, then scored two in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. However, the Petrels answered back with a game-deciding, four-run fifth inning. Designated hitter Patrick Kulick led off with a double and Ferlita walked behind him. Then with one out, right fielder Joey McAlpin singled through the right side of the infield to drive in both runs and give the Petrels the lead back, 4-3. First baseman Frank Sarno singled next and took second on the throw as the visiting Tigers tried to cut down McAlpin at third. Shortstop T.J. Schmutz followed by driving in a run with a sacrifice bunt on a safety squeeze and wound up reaching on the fielder's choice after Sewanee's failed attempt to cut down the run at the plate. Catcher Hunter Riley then completed the rally by driving in McAlpin with a sacrifice fly to make the score 6-3.
From there, Oglethorpe relief pitcher Joe Marco settled in and delivered four innings of solid work, striking out two while walking two and giving up two hits and no runs. He earned a win for his efforts, moving him to 2-0 on the season. David Langhan followed with his second quality relief performance in as many days, picking up his third save of the year after not allowing a baserunner and striking out two over his inning of work.
Sarno continued his hot hitting of late, going 3-for-3 at the plate in Game 1 with a double, a walk and a run scored. Ferlita went 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs and a run scored.
In Game 2, the Tigers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the scheduled seven-inning ballgame. However, the Petrels answered back with two in the second. Second baseman Keith Dearden, third baseman Sarno and catcher Justin Dempsey all walked to lead off the inning and Dearden scored on a wild pitch to tie the game, 1-1. Left fielder Will Hanna followed with the Petrels' fourth walk in a row to reload the bases, but Sewanee relief pitcher Jared Davenport induced a double-play grounder from shortstop Schmutz to largely escape the jam. Sarno did score on the double play, though, giving the Petrels a 2-1 lead.
The score stayed that way until the fifth, when the Tigers tied the game on a Dempsey throwing error. They subsequently took the lead in the top of the sixth when Oglethorpe reliever Sam Traxler gave up a solo home run to Sewanee first baseman Zack Sutton to lead off the inning. The Petrels were down 3-2 with just six outs to play with.
However, they came through with a monster inning in the bottom of the sixth. Ferlita immediately re-tied the game with a solo home run down the left-field line off of Sewanee reliever Marshall Ussery. Then with one out, Sarno walked and pinch hitter Casey Tuttle singled to left to put runners at first and second. Pinch hitter Jake Purcell followed with another walk, and a wild pitch from Sewanee reliver Adam Schmidt scored Sarno and gave the Petrels a 4-3 lead. Pinch hitter McAlpin followed with the shot that would blow the game open as he roped a drive down the right-field line and out of the park for a three-run homer, giving the Petrels a 7-3 lead. The Petrels would score four more runs in the inning, nine in all, to take an 11-3 lead going into the seventh.
Kulick allowed a run, but easily shut down the Tigers in his second straight day of relief work to close out the game and pick up his first win as a Petrel, improving to 1-1 on the season. He allowed a run and a walk over 1-2/3 innings but did not allow a hit and struck out four in the process. He was also 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk and a run scored.
Dearden finished the game 1-for-2 with two walks, a run and an RBI. Sarno completed a perfect day at the plate, going 1-for-1 in Game 2 with three walks and two runs scored.
The Petrels will now embark on their spring break trip to the Lakeland, Fla., area for the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. Their first game of the four they'll play at the event will be on Monday afternoon against FDU-Florham. The game will take place in Winter Haven, Fla., and will get started at 1:30 p.m.