The Brevard College baseball team (5-1) won a wild 11-10 affair over visiting Washington & Lee (3-1) in the first of a three-game series on Saturday afternoon at Gil Coan Field.
Junior right fielder Zach Allison and junior second baseman Blake Burchett each registered three-hit performances as the 1-2 hitters in BC’s batting order. Allison scored three runs, including the game-winner, while recording two RBIs and a double. Burchett scored a run and drove in a run as well. Senior center fielder Jack Atkinson scored two runs as well to go along with an RBI.
Sophomore left fielder Logan Clark, BC’s cleanup hitter, went 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored. Senior catcher Christian Ezzell went deep with a solo shot to center to mark Brevard’s first home run of the 2022 season. Freshman third baseman Cale Oehler registered a double and two RBIs.
Reliever Cameron Cook (1-0) earned the win after not allowing a hit over the final 1.1 innings, while striking out three and walking one.
Junior Nathan Sanders started the game and went five innings, allowing one run on three hits. Sanders struck out six batters while walking three.
Sophomore lefty Cesar Rodriguez pitched two innings, allowing just one unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
Despite the high scoring affair, nine of the ten runs scored by the Generals were unearned as defensive miscues nearly cost BC the victory.
The Tornados ran out to a 5-0 lead with a big second inning. Oehler doubled to begin the scoring to plate Clark who had reached via a leadoff triple. Atkinson then drove in Oehler and Luke Morton came home to score as well following an error on a fielder’s choice. The big innings continued with back-to-back RBI doubles by Allison and Burchett.
After the Generals scored in the sixth, Ezzell blasted the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the frame to deep left-center field for BC’s first home run of the young season. An RBI-groundout later in the inning by shortstop Jason Jucker extended BC’s lead to 9-2.
The Tornados led 10-2 entering the eighth, but a two-out error kept the inning alive for the Generals who cashed in with eight runs off two RBI-singles, another error and a grand slam home run to tie the contest at 10-10.
The Tornados responded in the bottom of the eighth as Allison was hit by pitch, then advanced via a single by Burchett and a wild pitch. Another wild pitch then scored Allison for what proved to be the game-winning run.
Cook then closed out the ninth for the win, stranding two W&L baserunners who had reached via walk.
In total, the two teams combined for 21 runs, 19 hits and six errors in the wild affair.
Brevard hosts Washington & Lee on Sunday in game two of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Gil Coan Field.