MILLINGTON, Tenn. (April 22) -- Juniors Clark Sims and Kyle Raskin combined to go 5-for-8 with four runs scored and seven RBI to keep Hendrix College alive in the 2011 SCAC Tournament after a 12-5 victory over Millsaps College on Friday at USA Stadium.
Sims finished 3-for-4 with two walks, four runs scored and three stolen bases, while Raskin went 2-for-5, including a big three-run double in the sixth, and finished with five RBI.
Hendrix lit up the scoreboard in its first at bat when Sims led off with a walk, stole second, tagged up on a fly out to right, and crossed the plate on first year Jacob Perschke's single up the middle.
Warriors' first year right-hander Thomas Weber started on the hill and stranded four base runners to open with three shutout innings. Millsaps eventually knotted the game in the fourth when senior Josh Ordeneaux led off with a walk and raced around on a double to right by junior Trey Rountree.
Hendrix was held scoreless in the second, third and fourth before the Warriors rallied for four runs in the sixth to take a 5-1 lead. Junior Aaron Bowen was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, first year Nick Richardson then reached on an error and Sims scored Bowen with a base knock to left. First year Collin Radack clobbered a clutch triple to center to clear the bases. Junior Andrew Thames stepped up with two outs and drove in Radack with a single to left field.
The Warriors added three runs in the sixth when Richardson took a leadoff walk, Sims reached with his second hit of the game, Radack juiced the bases with a free pass and then Raskin hammered the bases clearing double to left field.
Hendrix tacked on three more runs in the seventh to take a commanding 11-3 lead when junior Mark Vlaskamp was hit by a pitch, replaced by first year Austin Womack as the pinch runner, Bowen followed with a bunt single. Womack scored on an error by the shortstop in Sims at bat, and Raskin sent two more runs across with a base knock to center field.
Hendrix took a 12-4 advantage in the top of the eighth when Thames single to right center, stole second, and sprinted home on an RBI single down the left field line from senior Jeff Forgerson.
All five of the Majors runs scored after reaching via the free pass. Junior Jules Roussell and senior Will Hawkins scored in the fifth after being hit by a pitch. Roussell walked and eventually scored on a single from Ordeneaux in the seventh. Junior Drew Leonard scored the Majors' final run after walking in the eighth.
Weber picked up the victory and improved to 2-1 on the year after allowing just one earned run in 5.0 innings. He walked just one batter and struck out four. Seniors Jordan Suydam and Gabe Leven combined for the middle 3.0 innings and junior Drew Gustafson closed the door with a strikeout in the ninth.
Senior Aaron Williams was pinned with the loss, falling to 6-3, after 4.2 innings, four hits, three earned runs, four walks and three strikeouts.
Hendrix improves to 16-20 on the year and 3-3 against Millsaps in 2011. The Warriors now own a 2-0 record against the Majors in SCAC Tourney play as Hendrix eliminated Millsaps with a 9-8 win in their 2009 SCAC Championship run. Millsaps falls to 24-18 on the season.
The Warriors will now face the loser of game six between #2E-DePauw vs. #1W-Trinity, or #3E-Oglethorpe if the Stormy Petrels upset #1E-Rhodes in game five of the tournament.