SHREVEPORT, La. - The Gents scored in each of the first five innings of the game and overcame a two-run deficit in the third as #11 Centenary (17-3, 4-0 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) bested Schreiner (8-13, 0-1 SCAC) 10-6 Friday night, March 17.
Down 5-3 heading to the bottom of the third after Schreiner scored four in the top of the frame, the Gents took advantage of the Schreiner's outfielders not getting very good reads on balls hit into the Shreveport skyline at dusk. With one out and facing a 1-2 count, freshman Cody Crowder poked a ball through the right side. Senior Michael Schimpf walked to put two on for junior Chris Zapata. The SCAC RBI leader skied a ball to left, but the leftfielder was unable to pick up the ball. It fell in for a double, scoring Crowder and moving Schimpf to third. Junior Ian Graham followed with a deep fly ball to center that fell in for a triple to put the Gents up for good.
Junior Cole Lavergne capped a wild third with a double to center to put the Gents up five.
As in the first, Schimpf singled with a runner in scoring position with two outs in the fourth to push the lead to three. Centenary scored two more in the fifth when Lavergne singled, sophomore Cameron Guin walked, and freshman Zane Wilkinson hit an RBI double to move Guin to third. He scored on senior Aaron Quintanilla's fielder's choice.
Everyone in the starting line-up for the Gents had a hit and either a run or an RBI in the contest.
Junior starter Kaleb Kirk (5-1), who struggled early by allowing five runs (three earned), four hits, and two walks in the first three innings, allowed only one hit and one run in the next four innings of work. He finished the game by allowing six runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts.
After Schreiner scored a run in the first thanks to two two-out walks and a hit, the Mountaineers scored four runs in the fourth. Ben Benavides singled and Sam Pistrui doubled to put a pair in scoring position to begin the inning. Reece Hohhertz scored both runners with a single on the first pitch he saw to tie the game at three. Next, Kirk threw away a sacrifice bunt attempt to put a pair of runners in scoring position with no outs. The visitors took the lead on an RBI groundout and a Tomas Garcia sacrifice fly.
Hudson Valenti, who led the Mountaineers with two hits, smacked his first triple of the season to center in the seventh and scored on a one-out groundout.
Montana Hammack (1-4) took the loss for Schreiner, allowing 14 hits and 10 runs in five innings pitched.
Lavergne, who led Centenary with three hits on the day, pitched a scoreless ninth after taking the mound with a runner on third. While inheriting a 1-0 count, he threw two balls and then six-straight strikes to strikeout a pair. Lavergne ended the game when he induced a 3-2 popup back to himself.
Centenary closes out the weekend Saturday, March 18, when it plays a doubleheader with Schreiner. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
