Joseph Marvin: Assistant Sports Information Director
LEXINGTON, S.C. – The Brevard College Tornados Baseball team (5-12) halted a ninth-inning rally, escaping with a slim 7-6 triumph against Roger Williams University (3-3) in non-conference action at neutral-site Lexington County Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Brevard jumped out to an early 3-0 advantage before the Hawks tied the contest, 3-3, in the top of the fifth inning. The Tornados used four unanswered runs to hold a 7-3 lead heading into the top of the ninth inning before a three-run RWU homer closed the margin to 7-6. BC clinched the victory on a game-ending double play, securing the Tornados' fifth win of 2019.
Kyle Williams earned his first collegiate start for the BC Tornados, working three innings of four-hit, one-run ball, striking out one Hawk batter.
Following Williams' work, the Brevard pitching staff was busy, as the Tornados utilized six pitchers total in the contest.
Bryce Bowers followed Williams with two innings of work, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits.
Jakob Dennis pitched two innings of solid work, allowing just one hit with a career-high three strikeout performance.
Zane Beaver lasted one and one-third innings, allowing one run before giving way to Alex Winchester in the ninth inning.
Winchester let up a three-run homer to RWU before Zach Wolfe came on in relief.
Wolfe earned his first collegiate save, forcing a game-ending double play to secure Brevard's victory, 7-6, over the Roger Williams Hawks.
The Tornados' bats enjoyed an impressive performance at the plate, posting seven runs on seven hits throughout Wednesday's action.
Two Tornados had multi-hit performances in Tuesday evening's showdown. Jason Jucker went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Ryan Roon posted a 2-for-3 performance, scoring two runs, driving in three runs, and hitting BC Baseball's first big fly of 2019 as Roon drove an opposite-field solo home run to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Brevard got its scoring effort started early with a three-run first inning. JJ Wilkes reached on an error that scored Donny Carsillo before Roon connected for a two-RBI single, pushing BC on top, 3-0.
Roger Williams tallied a single run in the second, fourth and fifth innings to tie the contest, 3-3. Jucker answered back with an RBI double in the bottom half of the fifth as Brevard regained its lead, 4-3.
Roon's long ball in the bottom of the sixth extended the Tornados' advantage, 5-3. Brevard tallied two more insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings when Jack Atkinson scored on an error in the seventh frame before Roon came across via a wild pitch in the eighth. BC went into the top of the ninth just three outs away from victory, holding a 7-3 advantage.
After a quick first out, Beaver hit the Hawks' batter before giving way to Winchester. This move followed with a walk and a three-run RWU round-tripper to close the gap to 7-6. Wolfe came on to attempt to secure the save, and with runners on first and second base forced a ground ball double play, ending the contest in favor of the Tornados, 7-6.
The Tornados will return home this weekend for a USA South Conference series against Huntingdon College on Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17. Due to impending inclement weather in Western North Carolina on Friday, March 15, game one of the Brevard vs Huntingdon series will be played on Saturday at 12 p.m., with the second game following in doubleheader fashion at 3 p.m. The series finale remains on schedule for Sunday at 12 p.m.
To follow along with all the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, please follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados'' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook.
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