The Oglethorpe baseball team had a roller coaster of a day Sunday at Anderson Field, splitting a doubleheader with the visiting Centre Colonels. In the seven-inning first game, the Stormy Petrels came back from a 4-1 deficit to score 6 runs in the sixth en route to a 7-4 victory. However, they lost a 6-3 lead in the ninth inning of Game 2, giving up 4 runs and falling 7-6.
The Petrels gave up a run in the first inning of Game 1, but skated through significant danger of worse after committing two errors in the frame. They then answered with a solo home run from junior left fielder Will Arnold in the bottom of the inning, tying the score. Centre took a 2-1 lead in the second, then scored a couple runs in the fifth to build a 4-1 advantage with just two innings to go. The Petrels exploded for 6 runs in the sixth, though, with RBI doubles from freshman shortstop Matthew Gill and senior right fielder Chris Keane serving as big blows in the frame. The Petrels took a 5-4 lead when they scored two runs on a Centre throwing error, which took place on a pickoff play.
Freshman right-hander Colin Stewart picked up the win, allowing 2 earned runs on five hits and no walks over six innings, striking out five. Keane came on to get the save, his second of the season in the seventh, allowing a hit and a walk but not allowing a run.
The Petrels looked as though they were about to score another comeback win in Game 2. They allowed 3 runs in the third, but came back with 4 in the seventh to take a 4-3 lead, then added a couple more in the eighth to extend their advantage to 6-3. In the seventh, freshman designated hitter Gabe Bryant drove in a couple with an infield single and Keane tied the game with a single to center. A bases-loaded walk issued to senior catcher Alec Babb gave the Petrels the 4-3 lead. In the eighth, Bryant followed up with another 2-run single to extend the Oglethorpe lead to 3.
However, Centre came back with 4 runs in the ninth. The Petrels were one out away from getting out of the jam, with runners on first and second for the Colonels. But a 2-run double and an RBI single followed, giving the Colonels the winning margin.
The Petrels continue SAA play on Saturday, when they travel to Jackson, Mississippi, to take on the Millsaps Majors. The two teams will get started Saturday at 1 p.m. Eastern, then also play a doubleheader at noon on Sunday.