WHITTIER, Calif. – The Diamond Gents scored seven runs in the first two innings while sophomore Peyton Cormane added a two-run home run in the fifth as Centenary (7-8) picked up another road win, this time at Whittier (3-4), 11-5 Monday afternoon, March 4.
The Diamond Gents kept the heat on the Poets with six stolen bases. Meanwhile, Whittier was thrown out in its only stolen base attempt.
Cormane, who led Centenary from the plate by going 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs, led off the game with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored when junior Cody Crowder reached on an error. After two walks loaded the bases, sophomore Tyler Welch drove in a pair of runs on a groundout.
Whittier answered with a run in the bottom of the first, but Centenary added four more in the second. With one out, senior Andrew Russell singled before a pair of walks loaded the bases. The Diamond Gents then played station-to-station baseball after sophomore Chris Haggard singled in a run while senior Cameron Guin and sophomore Preston Ludwick drew RBI walks. Welch followed with another RBI groundout.
Ludwick added a sacrifice fly in the fourth and sixth and Cormane hit his first collegiate home run – a two-run shot – in the fifth to round out the Centenary scoring.
Meanwhile, sophomore Conner Poche (1-1) picked up the win, allowing eight hits and three runs in five innings of work. Senior Kyle Barron picked up his second save of the season, throwing the final three innings and allowing only two hits while striking out three.
Welch and Ludwick added three RBIs offensively for the Gents despite not recording a hit.
Mason Blansett led Whittier by going 4-for-5 with a run scored while Jacob DeLongchamp added a solo home run in five at-bats.
Dante Mancia (0-1) took the loss for the Poets, allowing three hits and seven runs (four earned) with four walks in 1.1 innings of work.
Centenary returns to action Friday afternoon, March 8, when it takes on Pomona-Pitzer. First pitch in Claremont, California, is set for 4:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. PST).