CARY, N.C. - The Brevard College baseball team (0-3) fell in Sunday afternoon's series finale, 12-5 to the William Peace Pacers (3-0) at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
BC held a four-run lead before an 11-run fourth inning propelled the host Pacers to the series sweep.
Cade Stecher recorded a three-hit outing, going 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Johnny Flynn, Ryan Roon, and Beau Shealy each had two-hit performances offensively, while Flynn, Christian Ezzell, and Jason Jucker each hit a double in the game. Flynn led the Tornados with two RBI's, while freshman Brandin Johnson drew a pair of walks.
Coming out of the bullpen, sophomore right-hander Zane Beaver logged three innings of work, allowing just one run on three hits. Nathan Sanders posted two shutout innings in his first collegiate appearance, collecting his first-career strikeout in the process.
For the second time in the series, the Tornados struck first offensively. Following a leadoff walk to Jucker, Ezzell roped a double to left-center field, advancing Jucker to third base. Just one batter later, Flynn stroked a single through the left side that brought Jucker home, giving the Tornados a 1-0 lead.
The Pacers answered back with a run in the bottom of the first inning, using an RBI-single to tie the contest up at one run apiece. BC starter Matthew Scavotto was able to avoid any further damage by forcing a strikeout and pop out, sending the game to the second frame.
Shealy scores BC's second run after an RBI-single from Stecher that gave the Tornados a one-run lead. Despite a pair of walks and a bunt single, Scavotto stranded the bases loaded after back-to-back outs, as the Tornados held on to their 2-1 advantage.
The Tornados were able to score for the third-consecutive frame when JJ Wilkes singled, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored by way of a Flynn RBI-double. However, BC wouldn't stop there, scoring two more runs by way of back-to-back RBI singles from Roon and Shealy. A strikeout, throw-out double play ended the frame, with the Tornados holding a 5-1 advantage. Scavotto cruised through the home half of the third inning, sending the contest to the fourth frame.
Brevard had an opportunity to tack onto its lead, leaving the bases loaded in the top of the fourth inning after a two-out rally.
William Peace exploded for 11 runs on 10 hits off of four different Tornado pitchers in the bottom of the fourth inning. Beaver was able to stop the damage by recording all three outs in the frame, leaving the score 12-5 in favor of William Peace.
Brevard put together opportunities to get back in the scoring column in the fifth and seventh innings, however, the Tornados left the bases loaded in both frames as the Pacers held on for the 12-5 triumph in game three of the season-opening series.
The Tornados will return to action next weekend when Brevard travels to Greensboro, North Carolina for a non-conference, three-game road series against Guilford College. The Quakers and Tornados battle in a pair of seven-inning contests on Saturday, February 15 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. before closing the three-game set out on Sunday, February 16 at 1 p.m.
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