BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College baseball team (15-10, 8-3 USA South) split a USA South Conference doubleheader with Methodist University (15-14, 7-4 USAS) on Saturday afternoon at Gil Coan Field.
The Tornados controlled game one from start to finish, earning an 8-3 victory behind a Jacob Thompson complete game and a five-hit performance by Lucas Granata. BC jumped out to a 6-0 lead through five innings, but Methodist rallied back with seven unanswered runs to take a narrow game two decision, 7-6.
GAME ONE: BREVARD 8, METHODIST 3
Thompson, a junior RHP from Gray, Georgia, threw the third complete game of his collegiate career, allowing just three runs (two earned) early before shutting the Monarchs down through the final five innings of action while recording four strikeouts.
Granata, a junior outfielder from Wake Forest, North Carolina, went a perfect 5-for-5 at the dish with a run and an RBI on five singles to lead BC's offense. Caleb Oehler went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI, tallying a two-run homer, while Logan Clark also tallied two hits with a run scored and an RBI.
Methodist used an RBI groundout in the top of the second followed by a two-RBI single in the top of the fourth to establish an early 3-0 edge. Brevard flipped the script with a five-run fourth inning, jumping ahead 5-3 as Nico Bartolotti, Clark, Granata, Hayden Jennings, and Logan Sawyer all racked up RBI singles in the frame.
Oehler launched his fourth home run of the season and his 12th career round tripper in the bottom of the seventh, and the junior first baseman tacked on his third RBI of the game in the eight inning as BC gave Thompson all the insurance that he needed to slam the door in the top of the ninth as Brevard racked up its eighth conference victory of the season.
GAME TWO: METHODIST 7, BREVARD 6
Frankie Vasquez kickstarted BC's offense in the bottom of the first of game two with a two-RBI double, while Luke Morton registered a RBI single and Cale Oehler drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the second, giving the Tornados a 4-0 edge through two innings.
Kenny Pridmore doubled down the left-field line in the bottom of the fifth, scoring CP Pyle, and Sawyer drove in Bartolotti on a sacrifice fly to build the Tornado lead up to a 6-0 margin through five complete innings.
Methodist broke into the scoring column in the top of the sixth with an RBI double and wild pitch, cutting the deficit to 6-2. An RBI single for the Monarchs in the top of the seventh brought the game to 6-3 before Methodist jumped on the Tornado bullpen for four runs in the top of the eighth, giving the Monarchs a 7-6 edge with six outs left to get.
After just narrowly missing a go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning, Brevard put together a no-out rally in the bottom of the ninth when Oehler and Vasquez each recorded walks, and Oehler and Jordan Rowell - who pinch ran for Vasquez - were both put into scoring position via a wild pitch. Pyle was hit by a pitch to load the bases up with still nobody out, but Chase Carroll battled back to record his third save of the season with a line out, a strikeout, and a fly out.
Pridmore went 3-for-5 at the dish in game two with a run scored and an RBI double, as Clark and Morton logged two hits each. Cameron Cook earned the start and went six inning for the Tornados, allowing five hits and two runs with three strikeouts.
The rubber match of this pivotal USA South series is slated for Sunday at 1 p.m. at Gil Coan Field.
To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter/Instagram @BCTornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube and SoundCloud, and follow 'Brevard College Tornado Athletics' on Facebook. In addition, follow 'brevardcollege' on Flickr for photos from BC events.
-BC-