The Oglethorpe baseball team used three run-scoring singles over a two-inning span to sink the home-standing Piedmont Lions, 4-3, in a frigid Demorest, Ga., improving to 16-19 on the season.
The game-time temperature was 44 degrees in Demorest with a wind chill of 35, providing for extremely chilly conditions, especially for mid-April. The Stormy Petrels didn't seem to mind, however, as they got timely hitting and solid pitching peformances from starter Sam Franklin and reliever David Langhan. For Langhan, it was his 76th career appearance, breaking the previous school record held by Nick Greenfield. He picked up his fourth save of the year after allowing a run on three hits and a walk over 3-2/3 innings while striking out four. Franklin secured the win, improving to 1-2 on the season, after he delivered a fine performance over 5-1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks, striking out three.
The Petrels got on the board first in the second inning when right fielder Joey McAlpin tripled and second baseman Keith Dearden knocked him in with an RBI groundout. Piedmont tied the game in the bottom half of the inning, but Oglethorpe took the lead back in the fourth when designated hitter Patrick Kulick doubled to lead off the inning, third baseman Austin Ferlita singled, advancing him to second, and McAlpin singled him home to give the Petrels a 2-1 advantage.
Piedmont tied the game again in the bottom half of the inning, but the Petrels took the lead for good in the fifth. Shortstop T.J. Schmutz walked to lead off the inning and catcher Hunter Riley sacrificed him to second. Center fielder Vernon Trice singled, moving Schmutz to third for first baseman Frank Sarno. Sarno came through with an RBI single, scoring Schmutz and moving Trice to second. Trice moved to third on a Kulick flyout before Ferlita came to the plate and singled him home, giving Oglethorpe a 4-2 lead.
From there, the Petrels held on for victory as Langhan got through multiple jams. He left the bases loaded with one out in the sixth after relieving Franklin, then loaded the bases himself with two men out in the eighth before getting a strikeout to end the threat. He allowed a single run in the ninth, but nothing more, and the Petrels went back to Atlanta with the one-run victory.
McAlpin went 2-for-2 on the night with a triple, two walks, an RBI and a run scored. Meanwhile, Trice and Ferlita both went 2-for-4, Trice scoring a run and Ferlita driving one in.
The Petrels will hit the road to take on another in-state non-conference opponent Wednesday night when they battle LaGrange at 7 p.m. in LaGrange, Ga. They'll then return home to play Millsaps in the final three-game SAA series of the season Friday and Saturday.