BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The weather seemed to cooperate a little better on Saturday as the Adrian College baseball team played a pair of games at Striplin Field. The Bulldogs dropped a 9-3 decision against the hometown Cougars of Birmingham Southern and then picked up their first win of 2015 with a 4-3 victory over Transylvania.
The Cougars eked out a win yesterday against the Bulldogs and did so with a couple three-run innings. The same thing happened on Saturday as BSC scored three runs in the first and third to build a 6-0 advantage. Jordan Frayer took the loss with a rocky start which lasted just 4.2 innings. He allowed eight hits and six earned runs with three strikeouts. Jacob Mayfield did the most damage for the Cougars going 4-for-5 with three runs and two RBI. Zach Wingate hitting cleanup went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Nathan Qualls added three RBI in the contest.
Adrian scored twice in the top of the fourth as Brian Guck had a RBI groundout scoring Ryan Dorow and Collin Parcher scored on a wild pitch. Guck in the sixth inning also drove in Drew Shutes with an RBI double. Shane Healy threw 2.1 scoreless innings for the Bulldogs in relief of Frayer. Zach Dunn tossed in the eighth and allowed two runs.
The Bulldogs were right back on the diamond to face Transylvania in the second game of the day. The Pioneers had an adventure on the roads making it to Birmingham and arrived hours late. The Bulldogs and Pioneers were scheduled to play in the first game of the day, but made the most of it once the first pitch was thrown. Adrian was the home team and jumped ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first. Parcher continued his good start with an RBI single scoring Jeff Gertley.
Transylvania tied the game with a run in the fifth as Taylor Henley scored an unearned run on a wild pitch. The Bulldogs took the lead right back in the bottom of the fifth as Gertley hit the team's first home run of the season down the right field line for a 2-1 lead. The Pioneers took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth as Kody Ross delivered a two-out, two-RBI single which scored Trey Simpson and Hunter Voshell. Adrian got a strong start from newcomer Cole Knaup making his first start after transferring from Jackson College. The junior tossed seven innings allowing no earned runs in a no-decision. He allowed four hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
The Bulldogs tied the game in the bottom of the eighth as Tom Banahan uncorked a wild pitch which scored Gertley. Adam Boone got the start for Transylvania and went five innings allowing two earned runs and six hits. Banahan tossed three relief innings with two walks and three strikeouts. Adrian entered the bottom of the ninth as Simpson took the mound replacing Banahan. Freshman Kristian Quincosa drew a one-out walk and Ben Yax replaced him on the basepaths. Simpson struck out two of the first three batters he faced but also walked pinch hitter Matt Andrus to put runners on first and second. Kameron Schwartz replaced Simpson on the bump and plunked Gertley to load the bases for Dorow. The sophomore shortstop delivered the walk-off single to right center as Yax scored the winning run.
Tommy Parsons got the win in his first appearance throwing two innings of one-hit ball. He threw 13 of his 18 pitches for strikes. Dakota Cararo went 2-for-3 with a walk. Gertley finished 2-for-3 with a double and three runs scored.