HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Brevard College baseball team (6-4) lost a pair of non-conference road contests on Saturday at Truist Point in High Point, North Carolina, home of the High Point Rockers, to Greensboro College (2-0).
The Tornados dropped a heartbreaking 4-3 decision in a nine-inning contest in the first game before falling 11-4 in game number two.
GAME ONE – GREENSBORO 4, BREVARD 3
Zach Allison, Christian Ezzell, and Jason Jucker all had multi-hit outings for the Tornados, as Brevard accumulated 11 hits and eight different Tornados registered base knocks. Allison scored a team-high two runs, while Jucker and Cale Oehler each drove in RBI.
Cameron Cook (1-1) was handed the ball to start the contest for the Tornados, going five innings allowing four hits and three earned runs with three strikeouts.
The Pride showcased their power-hitting ability in the doubleheader, kickstarted by Braxton Rupp's solo home run in the first game – part of a three-hit outing for the Greensboro designated hitter. Alex Morales and Adam Weber each had doubles, as the Pride totaled nine hits.
GC starter Jacob Baldini (1-0) earned the win with a six-inning outing, allowing six hits and no earned runs with a strikeout. Alex Trepper was awarded the save in what was the Pride's season-opener.
BC's defense helped the Tornados out early, as the Pride placed runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the second inning before Brevard forced a lineout double play to end the frame, keeping the contest scoreless.
A double play in the top of the third inning halted a Brevard scoring opportunity, before the Pride placed a pair of runners on in the next half-frame. Cook and the Tornados forced a strikeout and caught stealing that ended the bottom of the third inning, with both sides still scoreless.
Oehler's sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth inning brought Jucker around to score, giving the Tornados a 1-0 lead. Brevard had the bases loaded with two outs looking to add more, but a force out ended the frame.
With one out in the fourth inning, Rupp hit a home run to tie the contest back up at one run apiece. Cook was able to rebound, forcing a pair of Pride groundouts to send the game to the fifth inning.
After striking out the leadoff Greensboro batter, a pair of walks and two wild pitches proved costly, as Weber doubled to score one Greensboro run before a sacrifice fly made the score 3-1 in favor of the hosts.
Brevard was able to answer back In the top of the seventh inning with two outs, as Jucker came through with an RBI single that scored Allison, making it a one-run ballgame, 3-2.
Greensboro used a leadoff double and a walk in the bottom of the eighth before Devin Summers singled home Morales to double the Pride lead, 4-2, with the contest moving to its final frame.
After two-straight outs, Brevard mounted a rally with Allison and Burchett totaling singles. Jucker logged his second RBI of the contest, once again scoring Allison to make it a 4-3 game. However, the Pride were able to close the door to take game one, 4-3, in the host's regular-season opener.
GAME TWO – GREENSBORO 11, BREVARD 4
The two sides met for a seven-inning contest to cap off the Saturday doubleheader, with the Pride using early scoring to take an 11-4 decision.
Blake Burchett totaled a 2-for-2 performance in the second game of the doubleheader, as Brevard scored four runs on six hits and drew four walks, but conversely left 10 men on base.
Matthew Scavotto (2-1) was the starter for BC, lasting 2 and 2/3 innings with six earned runs and three strikeouts, while freshman Jacob Thompson turned in 3 and 1/3 innings of work with four strikeouts.
Greensboro was able to slug past Brevard in game number two, scoring 11 runs on 13 hits including three home runs, two triples, and a double.
Morales went deep in the bottom of the first inning before a Cam Edmonds homer in the second doubled the Pride lead. Greensboro scored two more runs in the frame of the unearned variety, giving the hosts a 4-0 lead through two innings.
Greensboro was able to break the game open with a six-run bottom of the third inning, using a pair of triples and Rupp's second home run of the day – a three-run shot – made the score 10-0.
Allison singled home Jack Atkinson and Brett Burchett to put Brevard on the board in the top of the fourth inning, 10-2, but Greensboro got a run back in the bottom half of the frame.
Jordan Ingram singled home Jucker before scoring on a balk, but the effort proved too late as Greensboro finished off the doubleheader sweep, 11-4.
The two sides will conclude their three-game series with a nine-inning contest scheduled for a new 2 p.m. start at Truist Point due to inclement weather.
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-BC-