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| Preston Ludwick is batting .429 with three RBIs for Centenary (La.) in their first two games of the season. Centenary (La.) athletics photo |
Weather played a role in the cancellations and postponements in an already small slate of games on Friday. Texas-Dallas saw their first three games fall off the schedule as did Hardin Simmons, LeTourneau, and Concordia (Texas) who were playing in the Baseball Tournament at the Depot. Despite the weather several games were played.
Centenary (La.) improved to 2-0 on the young season with a 7-4 non-conference victory over the East Texas Baptist Tigers on a frigid Friday afternoon at Shehee Stadium. The Gents (2-0) followed up Tuesday's season-opening 6-1 home win over Louisiana College with their 11th win in their last 15 games dating back to last season and are now 5-1 in their last six home games. Centenary won its fourth-straight game overall against the Tigers. Centenary pitching has been superb through the season's first two games, allowing just one earned run in 18 innings with only three walks and 14 strikeouts. The offense has been equally as impressive, collecting 25 hits and 13 runs. The Gents have now collected at least 10 hits in a game in eleven of their last 15 games dating back to last season.
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| The Belhaven Blazers won their first two games of the season for the fourth time in the last six years with a sweep of ranked Piedmaont. Belhaven athletics photo |
A walkoff home run in game one helped Covenant to a doubleheader split with Erskine on Friday at the LakePoints Complex in Emerson. Covenant took game one, 8-6, before falling in the finale 16-4. It was the first all-time meetings between Covenant (1-3) and Erskine (2-4). Brooks DuBose hit a two-run, walk-off, home run in the bottom of the ninth to lift Covenant to an 8-6 win over Erskine in Friday's opener. Covenant led 6-5 entering the top of the ninth, but Erskine's Livan Reinoso hit a solo home run -- his second of the game -- to leadoff the inning and tie the score. In the bottom of the inning, a one-out error allowed Josh Harvey to reach and prolong the frame for DuBose. The senior deposited Zach Overholt's pitch just over the left-field fence to win the game. The homer was DuBose's first of the year and it was the sixth walk-off home run in program history. Adam Carver made the start for the Scots and tossed 4.2 innings allowing three runs with six strikeouts. Zach Tolleson threw two innings in relief and Conor Austin (1-0) picked up the win. Brett McHugh finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while Lewis Saunders also had two hits to go along with two RBIs. Harvey added two hits and a run scored. Erskine scored 14 runs over a three-inning stretch to pull away for a 16-4 victory in the finale. Alex Gonzalez finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs, Harvey, McKaleb Harlemon, and Kenny Mills also had a hit apiece in the loss. Nick Pettit made the start and went three innings for the Scots.
Belhaven returned to the diamond for the first time since March 7th, 2020 and were able to open up their 2021 season with a pair of wins over Piedmont in a doubleheader. The first game of the matchup saw Belhaven walk it off in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 1-0 contest. The Belhaven squad found themselves in a pitcher's duel against the visiting Piedmont Lions in game one. Beau Louviere was handed the ball for the Blazers in the first game and the freshman from Church Point, La. delivered a gem going 5.2 shutout innings, allowing four hits and striking out nine, a single game career high. In relief, the Blazers got a big outing from freshman Luke Miller who went 3.1 innings while allowing just a single hit and striking out four hitters. Miller picked up the win and the two Blazers' pitchers combined for a complete game shutout. Sam Carpenter took the hill for the visitors and the lefty put up an impressive performance holding Belhaven scoreless into the ninth inning, allowing seven hits and striking out 11. Carter Ballstadt came in with a pair of runners on in the ninth and gave up the hit that scored the game winning run. Carpenter took the loss for Piedmont. The fireworks were hard to come by in the first game of the night until the bottom of the ninth. The first three batters of the inning reached via base hit and despite a caught stealing, Belhaven was able to get a pair of runners in scoring position. With two outs, Trip Benson was able to drive in the lone run of the game on an infield single propelling Belhaven to a walk off win.
In game two with Piedmont and the Blazers were able to cruise to a 9-1 victory in the back half of Friday's games. Sophomore Brett Sanchez took the mound for Belhaven in the second game of the night and was not to be outdone by his teammates on the mound in Game One. Sanchez allowed a single run in the top of the first inning before turning in seven consecutive shutout innings. On the night Sanchez went eight innings, scattered seven hits for just the one run, walked two and struck out nine. Ethan McPherson worked a scoreless ninth in his first appearance for the Blazers picking up a strike out of his own and polished off a strong opening day for Belhaven. Sanchez picked up his first win of the year. The Blazers' offense was a big part of the story in their second win on the night. They were able to answer Piedmont's first inning run with one of their own before taking the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Belhaven tacked on two more in the bottom of the fourth on a 2-RBI single from Kyle McLaughlin. The Blazers added a single run in the sixth before putting the game out of reach with a four run seventh inning highlighted by Trip Benson's RBI double.