DANVILLE, Va. – A four-run seventh inning kick-started by freshman outfielder Logan Clark and freshman infielder Noah Harris proved to be the difference as the Brevard College baseball team (3-2) earned a three-game series sweep on the road in Danville, Virginia over the Averett University Cougars (0-4) on Sunday afternoon at Owen-Fulton Field.
Clark, a native of St. Petersburg, Florida, came across to score twice in addition to his first collegiate extra-base hit and RBI - an RBI triple in the fourth inning - as five different Tornado hitters came across the plate in the victory. Zach Allison, Clark, Harris, Jason Jucker, and Holden Lanier all drove in runs for the Brevard offense.
Senior right-handed pitcher Ben Melton earned the start for BC, lasting five innings of five-hit, two-run ball while striking out eight Cougar batters. Nathan Sanders (1-0) came on in relief with the contest tied at 2-2 and nailed down his first collegiate victory, tossing four innings with six strikeouts while surrendering a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Averett's Tanner Bradshaw and Nate Tuck each logged a pair of RBI's, while Logan Albertson went 2-for-4 at the dish. Wesley Payne (0-1) was credited the loss as the Cougars sent six different pitchers to the mound in the series finale.
Following an easy 1-2-3 bottom of the first from Melton, including a pair of strikeouts, the Tornados threatened to score in the top of the second. Christian Ezzell drew a leadoff walk and advanced all the way to third on a throwing error, setting the go-ahead run 90 feet away. Averett escaped the jam with a pair of K's before the Cougar offense was retired in order in the bottom of the frame when Melton struck out the side.
A pair of one-out singles back-to-back gave the Cougars life in the third, but a scoring opportunity was thwarted when Bradshaw was gunned down at the plate by Ezzell after a Zelgin Jackson single. Averett struck for a pair of runs on the next batter, however, as Tuck's two-RBI single gave the Cougars a 2-0 advantage.
The Tornado offense was able to answer right back in the top of the fourth when Brett Burchett was waved around on Clark's RBI-triple, cutting the Cougar lead in half. On the very next at bat, Harris notched his first collegiate RBI, scoring Clark to tie the game up at 2-2.
Melton cruised through his last two innings of work, striking out a pair of Averett batters while allowing just one baserunner. Sanders came on in the bottom of the sixth, sending a pair of Cougars back to the dugout swinging.
Clark kicked off Brevard's seventh-inning rally by drawing a leadoff walk that was followed up by a sacrifice bunt by Harris that positioned the go-ahead run in scoring position. Lanier was called upon to pinch hit for Riley Stanley and delivered, singling through the left side to bring Clark around to score, giving Brevard a 3-2 advantage.
Following a Jack Atkinson single, Allison and Jucker both dropped in RBI singles, extending the Tornado lead to a 5-2 margin. JJ Wilkes reached on a fielding error to bring the fourth run of the inning across, as BC held a 6-2 advantage.
Sanders struck out three Cougars in the seventh and eighth frames before a late Averett rally in the ninth. The Cougars put a pair of runners on via singles and with two outs Bradshaw split the gap in left-center field, bringing home a pair of runs to cut Brevard's lead in half. Sanders was able to escape further damage, forcing a groundout that clinched the series sweep for the Tornados, 6-4.
With the victory, Brevard has already matched its 2020 win total through just five games this season.
The Tornados are scheduled to return home next weekend for a three-game non-conference series against Greensboro College (3-2) at Gil Coan Field. Brevard and Greensboro begin the set on Friday, March 5 at 3 p.m. before a Sunday, March 7 doubleheader at 1 and 3:30 p.m.
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-BC-