The Oglethorpe baseball team claimed their first series victory of the season Sunday in Mount Berry, as they routed the homestanding Berry Vikings 19-5 in a game that was shortened to seven innings due to the 10-run rule. The win improved the Stormy Petrels to 3-5 on the season as they get set to host the Piedmont Lions Tuesday evening in their home opener.
The Stormy Petrels jumped ahead in the top of the first inning for the second straight game, using a 3-run homer by senior catcher Alec Babb to jump start the offense. Berry answered back with a couple runs in the bottom of the inning, but unlike Saturday afternoon, it would not turn out to be a back-and-forth affair. Instead, Oglethorpe broke out with their best offensive performance of the young season.
They got a bases-loaded walk from junior designated hitter Jevon Lewis with two outs in the third, then sophomore catcher Connor Ledet immediately followed with a 2-run triple to center, making the score 6-2 in favor of the visitors.
The Petrels really piled on in the fourth, scoring 6 runs and all but putting the game to bed. They sent nine men to the plate in the inning, with a bases-clearing double from Lewis serving as the big blow. They also scored on a wild pitch, a bases-loaded walk from freshman third baseman Matthew Gill, and a delayed double steal by senior shortstop Alex Featherstone and junior left fielder Will Arnold.
With the score 12-2, they continued adding on over the next couple innings. They scored 4 more in the fifth, with a pair of RBI doubles by Lewis and Gill, and a Babb sacrifice fly. They scored three more times in the sixth. Senior center fielder Chris Keane doubled to right field for an RBI and Babb again came through with a 2-run single to make the score 19-2.
Sophomore right-hander Garrett Parkins got the start for the Petrels and was outstanding, allowing just the 2 first-inning runs while the game was in doubt. He finished with 6 1/3 innings and allowed 4 runs on nine hits, walking two and striking out five, earning his first victory of the season.
Plenty of Petrel hitters broke out, led by Babb's 2-for-3 with six RBIs and 2 runs scored. Lewis finished with five RBIs and went 2-for-3, while Arnold went 2-for-2 with two walks, two stolen bases and 5 runs scored. Featherstone went 3-for-5 with two steals and 4 runs while Keane went 3-for-4 with 4 runs.