SHREVEPORT, La. - The Gents baseball team put the finishing touches on a great start in the home-opening weekend by scoring 27 runs on 23 hits as Centenary (11-3) swept a doubleheader from Rust (0-12) 15-2 and 12-0 Friday afternoon, February 24.
Junior Cole Lavergne smashed two home runs, one conventional and one inside the park, and finished the day 4-for-5 with six runs scored and four RBI's. Senior Michael Schimpf and sophomore Andrew Russell both contributed three hits in as many at-bats, while junior Chris Zapata went 3-for-6 with five RBI's and two runs scored.
Senior Grant Debevec (2-0) went the distance in a run-shortened, five-inning affair in game two, allowing just two hits with seven strikeouts. Junior Kaleb Kirk (2-1) took the win in game one, allowing one run on three hits while striking out four.
In game one, Centenary scored three runs in the first two innings before exploding for six runs in the third. Freshman Zane Wilkinson led off game one with a double, advanced to second on a double play and scored on Schimpf's two-out single on the first pitch he saw. Two walks, a wild pitch, and sacrifice flies by Russell and senior Scott Dwyer put the Gents up 3-0 after two.
Centenary exploded for six in the third and five in the fifth en route to the 13-run win. Senior Aaron Quintanilla reached on an error to begin the third, advanced to second on a groundout, and scored on Schimpf's double that went right over the third base bag. After a walk and stolen bases put a pair in scoring position, junior Ian Graham singled in a run. Another stolen base by Graham led to Lavergne's two-RBI single. A double from Dwyer and a passed ball with a runner on third put the home team up 9-0.
The Maroon and White exploded for five runs on five hits in the fifth, led by Lavergne's leadoff home run. He put the capper on the game when he led off the sixth with a solo, inside the park, home run just over the centerfielder's head.
Sophomore Hunter Amedee threw three innings for Kirk in relief, allowing only three hits while striking out two.
Antonio Turner took the loss for Rust, allowing seven hits and nine runs (seven earned) in 2.1 innings of work.
The Bearcats got on the scoreboard in the third thanks to a leadoff single by Jordan Robinson. He stole second, advanced to third on Nicholas Durrah's single, and scored on a groundout. In the seventh with two outs, Durrah was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on two wild pitches, and scored on a throwing error.
In game two, Centenary exploded for nine runs on only three hits in the first in the shutout win. After a pair of walks and a hit by pitch to begin the contest, Schimpf was plunked to score the first run. Zapata unloaded the bases with a triple to right, the first Gents hit of the game. Zapata stole home for the fifth run, and Graham followed with a double. After a stolen base for Graham, a walk and a sacrifice bunt by Russell plated the sixth run.
Wilkinson added a sacrifice bunt, Quintanilla reached on an error to score a run, and an RBI single by Schimpf capped the outburst.
Zapata added an RBI single in the third, a triple by Lavergne, and RBI singles by Russell and freshman Bryce Kozeny capped the Centenary scoring in the fourth.
Mourice Futrell took the loss for Rust, hitting and walking a batter in the only two people he faced in the game.
Centenary returns to action a week from Sunday on March 6 when it hosts Northland College for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
