The Oglethorpe baseball team fell in both games of a doubleheader Friday evening in Birmingham, Alabama, dropping a 7-4 decision to No. 4 Birmingham-Southern in Game 1, and falling 5-2 in Game 2. The results dropped the Stormy Petrels to 6-8 on the season overall and 1-4 in SAA play.
The first game got started as a pitcher's duel, with Oglethorpe junior right-hander Matt Davis going against Birmingham-Southern starter Ryan Gaines. Both pitchers allowed just 2 runs through 5 innings, with Davis allowing 5 hits to Gaines' 6. However, the homestanding Panthers exploded for 4 runs in the sixth, turning the game completely in their favor. Davis ended his stint allowing 5 earned runs on 5 hits over 5 2/3 innings, walking three Panthers and striking out four.
Birmingham-Southern got off to a 1-0 lead with a run in the first, but the Petrels came back with a pair of tallies in the fourth. Junior catcher Adrian Celata launched his first home run of the season to lead off the inning, tying the score at 1-1. Senior right fielder Brandon Fish immediately followed with a double into the gap, and junior second baseman Matt Motz advanced Fish to third with a single through the left side. Junior first baseman Dee Kelly scored Fish with an infield single, giving Oglethorpe a 2-1 lead.
However, the Panthers scored five runs over the course of the fifth and sixth innings, taking a 6-2 advantage into the seventh. Oglethorpe responded with a couple runs in that inning, looking to vault themselves back into the game. Junior left fielder Britton Araujo singled to lead off the frame and junior center fielder Jarvis Miller followed with a double, putting runners at second and third. Senior third baseman Austin Ferlita followed with a single to score Araujo, and Celata reached on a fielder's choice a batter later to make the score 6-4. However, Birmingham-Southern got out of that inning, then added another run in the eighth.
Miller went 3-for-5 with 2 doubles and a run scored in Game 1, while Fish went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
In Game 2, the Petrels jumped out to an early advantage in the first inning. First baseman Celata knocked a 2-out double down the left field line. Fish followed with a run-scoring single to center, giving Oglethorpe a 1-0 edge. The Panthers answered with 4 runs in the third, though, building a 4-1 lead.
The Petrels came back with a single run in the fourth when Fish homered over the head of the Birmingham-Southern left fielder, making it 4-2. The Panthers got that run back in the fifth, though, and cruised to the victory from there.
Oglethorpe freshman right-hander Parker Farschman started the game for the Petrels and suffered the loss, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits and 6 walks, striking out three in 2 2/3 innings. Petrel pitching issued 8 free passes for the game while allowing 8 hits. Meanwhile, the Petrels knocked just 4 hits themselves.
Fish enjoyed the best game offensively for the Petrels in the nightcap, going 2-for-3 with a home run and 2 RBIs.
The Petrels will be right back at it from Birmingham early Saturday afternoon. They'll take on the fourth-ranked Panthers at 2 p.m. Eastern in the final contest of the 3-game set. After that, they'll return to Atlanta to host MIT in a non-conference, 3-game series March 18 and 19.