Rome, Ga. -- The No. 12 Berry College baseball team improved to 24-4, 14-2 SAA over the weekend after a four-game sweep over the Hendrix College Warriors.
The senior Ben Coker got the start in game one, pitching all nine innings, striking out seven batters and giving up just two runs. During the outing, he became the new all-time leader in Berry College's DIII era in strikeouts with 234.
The game remained scoreless until late in the sixth when Hendrix scored first, going up 1-0. However, the Vikings quickly answered back with singles from Zack Walch, Jack Poist, Spence Johns, Tyler Calvert, Levi Cloud and John Poist, scoring four. Berry would add two more runs in the seventh and in the eighth, led by a double from Johns. The Vikings would take game one, 9-2.
Patrick O'Rourke got the start in game two, pitching five innings and giving up two runs. Ethan Crump, Andrew Norred and Koby Dunn would each get action on the mound to close the game.
Hendrix would strike first in the second to go up 1-0, but in similar fashion, Berry would respond with nine runs to make it 9-1 going to the third inning. The nine-run party started with a Calvert double, followed by singles from Cloud (two this inning), Derrick Newman, Justin Carr, Jo. Poist and Calvert (2-2 this inning).
Berry led 13-5 heading into the seventh inning and Hendrix threatened with a couple of baserunners and a single, scoring three, but Berry would win 13-8.
Game three would see Charles Stephenson get the start and the win at the mound, pitching seven innings, only giving up one run with two strikeouts.
Johns and Nick Brunswick led the Vikings in hits with two each, with Walch, Cloud and Weston Bray each adding one. The Vikings took game three 5-1 with Hendrix scoring their only run in the seventh inning.
Tanner Still got the start pitching in game four with Milan Sutaria and Will Macolino coming for relief, each pitching two innings. Mason Carnes would get the win, pitching three innings, giving up zero runs and striking out two.
Berry would win in thrilling fashion. Tied 6-6, the game went to extra innings and Hendrix threatened with a walkoff, but Ja. Poist would make an incredible throw from left field to home plate to keep that from happening. Evan Romeo would then connect with a leadoff single, followed by a walkoff single from Walch to score Romeo, securing the 7-6 win.