MISENHEIMER, N.C. - A season-best nine-run effort that included three scored in the fifth inning and a five-spot in the eighth helped the Brevard College baseball team (4-2) collect a midweek victory, 9-3, over Pfeiffer University (3-4) on a sunny Wednesday afternoon at Joe Ferebee Field in Misenheimer, North Carolina.
Zach Allison and JJ Wilkes each had multi-hit performances in the triumph, as seven different Tornados came around to score in the contest. Allison drove in a game-best three RBI's to go along with a run scored, while JJ Wilkes drove in a pair of RBI's on two extra-base hits. Jason Jucker tallied a pair of RBI's, while Jack Atkinson scored a game-high three runs while drawing a trio of walks.
Senior right-handed pitcher Ben Melton (1-0) got the ball for the Tornados to start on Wednesday, lasting five innings allowing just one earned run and striking out four batters. Bryce Bowers and Huntley Hacker each logged two innings of relief, shutting down the Falcons with four strikeouts combined.
Pfeiffer's offense was paced by a perfect 3-for-3 day from Bryan Kowalski, while Bryce Marsh went 2-for-4 with a double and a two-run homer. The Falcons were forced to use a total of seven different pitchers in the contest.
The host Falcons threatened to score early, placing runners on second and third with just one out in the bottom of the first. A pair of Melton strikeouts shut the door on Pfeiffer's potential threat, as the score remained in a 0-0 deadlock through one frame.
Pfeiffer manufactured a run in the bottom half of the second, as an RBI groundout gave the Falcons a 1-0 margin. Melton sat down the very next batter to minimize the damage done.
Following a pair of leadoff walks, Jucker sacrificed over Allison and Atkinson, putting runners at second and third with only one out. Wilkes put the ball in play to force home BC's first run that tied the game at 1-1.
An Atkinson leadoff single in the top of the fifth kickstarted a three-run frame for the visitors, as Allison singled home the Tornado center fielder to give Brevard its first lead, 2-1. Wilkes drove a double that brought home Jucker before a fielding error brought Wilkes home, giving the Tornados a three-run, 4-1 advantage.
After a pair of quick outs in the bottom half of the fifth, a Tornado fielding error proved costly, as Marsh went deep to cut Brevard's lead to a one-run margin, 4-3.
Despite giving up hits in both frames, Bowers escaped any scoring threat from Pfeiffer, sending the contest to the top of the eighth with the Tornados still on top by a single run.
A throwing error, walk, and single loaded the bases for the Tornados in the top half of the eighth. Atkinson drew a bases loaded walk that brought home Christian Ezzell before back-to-back RBI singles from Allison and Jucker broke the game open, giving Brevard a commanding 9-3 cushion. A Wilkes double nearly brought home the 10th run of the afternoon, but the Falcons were able to gun down Jucker's attempt to score at home plate.
Hacker came on in relief looking to finish off BC's victory, as the senior struck out three Falcons en route to sealing Brevard's fourth win in six contests, 9-3.
Brevard's 4-2 start in 2021 is the program's best start to a season since the 2016 campaign, when the Tornados also started off with a 4-2 record.
BC is slated to return to play on Friday at Gil Coan Field for a pair of seven-inning contests against William Peace University, scheduled for 1 and 3:30 p.m.
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-BC-