SHERMAN, Texas – The Gents played a closer game than they are used to in the series finale, but the Maroon and White never trailed in 16 innings on the day as Centenary (16-3, 3-0 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) swept a doubleheader with a 12-0 win (seven innings) in game one and 9-6 in game two against Austin College (4-15, 0-3 SCAC).
The Gents took advantage of seven Austin College errors for 10 unearned runs on the day. Centenary also touched them all for three times on the day and now has 18 home runs for the season – 10 more than the second-place school (Dallas) in the SCAC.
In game one, sophomore Cameron Guin led the Gents with three hits in as many at-bats with three RBI's and three runs scored. He added a two-run home run to right field in the fifth for his second round-tripper of his collegiate career.
Right from the start, Centenary took advantage of Austin College errors to take a 3-0 lead. Freshman Zane Wilkinson led off the game with a single and advanced when senior Aaron Quintanilla reached on an error. After a popout, senior Michael Schimpf hit a three-run home run to left field for his only hit of the game – his third time leaving the yard this season.
The Gents added a pair in the second and three more in the third. After Guin singled and Wilkinson walked, Quintanilla drove in the first run of the frame with an RBI single. Thanks to an error, both runners moved up into scoring position, and Wilkinson scored the fifth run of the contest on an RBI groundout by freshman Cody Crowder.
Two more errors scored a trio of unearned runs in the third. With one out, junior Ian Graham walked, advanced to second when the pitcher threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt, and scored on junior Cole Lavergne's single. Another error put runners on the corners and Lavergne scored on a groundout. Wilkinson added a 2-out triple, the first three-bagger of his collegiate career, to push the Gents lead to 8-0.
After Guin's two-run home run in the fifth, the Gents put the exclamation point in the run-ruled game with two more in the seventh. Guin led off the inning with a single, advanced to third on a Quintanilla's walk and a wild pitch, and scored on Crowder's RBI single. A sacrifice fly by Zapata scored the final Maroon and White run of the game.
Every Gents starter had a hit or an RBI in both games of the day.
Sophomore Matthew Devillier (5-0) reclaimed the sole lead in victories in the SCAC from junior teammate Kaleb Kirk in game one, going all seven innings and allowing five hits and one walk while striking out four.
Devillier faced a runner on third with no outs in the third, but allowed no runs to cross home plate. Jacob Flores advanced to third on an error and a balk. However, Devillier recorded a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to keep the 'Roos off the board.
Chase Almaguer took the loss for Austin College, allowing 10 runs (five earned) on 12 hits and two walks in five innings of work.
In game two, the Gents started out quick when Zapata blasted his second home run of the series, a three-run bomb to right field after a key error earlier in the first. Zapata added a two-out, two-RBI single in the third and a bases loaded walk in the fifth to finish the day 3-for-4 with six RBI's and a run scored.
Up 5-4 after four innings, Zapata and Graham drew bases loaded walks to push the Centenary lead to three. Graham drew the walk after falling behind 1-2 in the count.
After Austin College scored two unearned runs in the sixth to cut the deficit to one, Lavergne recorded the final out of the inning and finished the game for his SCAC-leading fourth save of the year, allowing one hit and striking out four in 3.1 innings.
Senior Grant Debevec (3-0) picked up the win in relief of junior Jackie Allen.
The Maroon and White added an insurance run in both the eighth and ninth in the win. Russell led off the eighth with a walk and scored on Quintanilla's two-out triple. In the ninth with two outs, Graham walked, stole second, and scored on Lavergne's single.
The 'Roos scored three in the second to tie the game, and two unearned in the sixth to pull within one. In the third, Austin College loaded the bases with no outs. Allen produced a strikeout, but a two-run single by James Wyche cut the deficit to one. Chance Hatchell followed with a sacrifice fly to knot the game at three.
With the 'Roos down 7-4, they pulled within one thanks to a two-out error. Wyche walked and Hatchel singled to cut the deficit to two. Another error allowed the second run to score, but Austin College never took the lead in the contest.
Christian Thomas (0-4) took the loss for Austin College, allowing seven runs (two earned), seven hits, and four walks with three strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work.
Centenary opens up home SCAC play next Friday, March 17, when it hosts Schreiner for a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.