The Oglethorpe baseball team committed seven errors Friday night against Trinity Baptist and could not recover, giving up four unearned runs to the home-standing Eagles and falling 4-3 in Jacksonville, Fla., in the first of a three-game series.
The Stormy Petrels got very good pitching performances, but couldn't capitalize on it. Sophomore Dan McBryan got the start and allowed just three hits over five innings, striking out eight and walking just two. He didn't give up any earned runs, but did surrender a pair of unearned runs. Junior Joseph Marco followed with 3-1/3 innings of relief, pitching every bit as well as McBryan. He allowed two hits and one walk, along with no earned runs, as well. He too allowed a pair of unearned runs, though, including the game-winner in the ninth, saddling him with the loss.
Senior right fielder Joey McAlpin went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a run scored on the evening while senior designated hitter Patrick Kulick went 1-for-3 with a triple, a walk and an RBI. The Petrels managed six hits on the evening against Trinity Baptist, and outhit the home side 6-5.
The Petrels tallied in the second when McAlpin doubled and came around to score on an error, giving his team a 1-0 lead. However, Trinity Baptist would answer with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, though, scoring twice on a pair of Oglethorpe errors. The score remained that way until the fifth, when junior first baseman Keith Dearden singled with two out and nobody on and Kulick followed with a run-scoring triple, tying the score at 2-2. Trinity Baptist answered back in the bottom of the eighth, retaking the lead, 3-2, with just three outs to get.
However, the Petrels rallied in the top of the ninth. Transue was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and freshman Britton Araujo pinch-ran for him. Senior T.J. Schmutz sacrificed Araujo to second, then a series of walks brought the tying run to the plate for the Petrels. Senior left fielder Andre Turnquest earned the bases-loaded pass and the RBI that went with it, tying the game at 3-3. However, the Petrels made two straight outs after that to leave the bases loaded. That would prove costly as the Eagles came back with a run in the bottom half of the inning, walking off with a 4-3 win.
"We gave away a baseball game tonight," said Head Coach Dan Giordano. "We are fighting ourselves a little right now, but there is certainly lots of baseball left. We'll put this thing together soon. I know this team will fight back, there are a lot of tough baseball players in this group."
The Petrels will complete the three-game road series in Jacksonville Saturday with a doubleheader against Trinity Baptist. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.