Joseph Marvin: Assistant Sports Information Director
CARY, N.C. - The Brevard College Tornados Baseball team (2-1) split a Saturday doubleheader with William Peace (1-2) at the USA Baseball National Training Facility in Cary, N.C.
Freshman LHP Matthew Scavotto (1-0, 0.00 ERA) pitched five scoreless innings in game two of the doubleheader to earn BC a split with WPU.
GAME 1
Kross Robinson (0-1, 1.93 ERA) earned the starting nod in the first game for Brevard, pitching 4.2 innings of two-hit, one earned run ball. Robinson fanned six batters, walking three.
The Pacers got on the board first, as Nathan Holt came around the horn after being hit by a pitch. Holt advanced to second on a passed ball, stole third, and scored on a throwing error to give WPU a one-run lead.
After three scoreless innings on both sides, the Tornados took a 2-1 lead thanks to a Christian Ezzell RBI groundout and a Beau Shealy RBI bunt single.
WPU's Holt once again brought himself around to score after a single, stolen base, and two advances on throws. The Tornados and Pacers went into the sixth inning deadlocked at 2-2.
The Pacers would score all of their remaining runs in the sixth inning, as WPU exploded for six runs in the frame. William Peace took advantage of a few BC defensive miscues, as an Easton Payton based-clearing triple pushed the Pacers comfortably ahead.
William Peace starting pitcher McKinley Stanbery earned the victory after going the distance, pitching an impressive complete-game outing. McKinley gave up two earned runs on five hits, striking out three Tornados.
GAME 2
BC's Scavotto took the mound for the first time in his collegiate career, shutting down William Peace for five innings.
The Tornados struck first with Jonte Wilkes at the plate, as a wild pitch on a walk scored Shealy, who was hit by a pitch with one out.
Shealy sparked Brevard's big third inning offensively after a leadoff walk. BC second baseman Ryan Roon singled, bringing Wilkes back up to the plate with two runners on and nobody out.
Wilkes recorded his second RBI of the contest, as the sophomore first baseman smacked a hit to left field to score Shealy.
The Tornados used small ball to advance the runners when Holden Lanier sacrificed over Wilkes and Roon. Jadon Wooten cashed in both runners with a two-RBI single to extend BC's lead to 4-0.
After an Ezzell groundout moved Wooten over to third base, Johnny Flynn drilled a single to left field to extend Brevard's lead to 5-0.
The Tornados rode the pitching performance of Scavotto the rest of the way to victory. Alex Winchester came in relief for the second straight day, surrendering a walk and a hit in two innings of work. Winchester forced WPU's Payton to ground out to second base, ending the game in favor of Brevard, 5-0.
Head Coach Sean Walsh and the Brevard College Tornados will look for a series victory as they wrap up action at the USA Baseball National Training Complex on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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