MARION, N.C.— The Montreat baseball team hosted the undefeated Bluefield University Rams for an Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader on Friday. In a pair of games filled with runs, the Cavaliers fell in both contests in Marion, N.C., dropping their season record to 9-9 (1-4 AAC).
Bluefield (12-0, 6-0 AAC) struck first with a run in the top half of the first inning, but the Cavaliers answered immediately. In the bottom half of the inning,
Daniel Wetmore delivered a two-run base knock that scored both
Chase Bruno and
Will Cheek to put the Cavs ahead 2-1.
Two-out rallies helped the Rams retake the lead in the third and fourth innings. The Rams delivered a two-out, two-run double to retake the lead in the third inning, and then in the fourth, they tacked on another pair of runs via a two-out single.
Montreat's offense made its big stand in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Wetmore came through with his second two-run hit of the day, driving in
Tarik Latchmansingh and Bruno. A
Norman Kelly sacrifice fly tied the contest at five runs apiece, and RBI singles from
OJ Borroto and
Michael Bell pushed Montreat ahead by two runs (7-5); however, the lead would last only a half-inning.
Bluefield scored in each of the final four innings to jump back in front and slowly pull away from Montreat. The Rams utilized a run-producing single and a two-run error to leap ahead of the Cavaliers, 8-7, in the sixth inning. Then, a single run in each of the seventh, eighth and ninth innings helped the Rams glide in front.
Montreat had two hits over the final four innings and couldn't close the gap as the Rams defeated the Cavs in game one, 11-7.
Wetmore and Bruno each recorded three-hit performances in the opener of the twin bill. Wetmore batted 3-4 with four RBIs and a run scored, while Bruno went 3-5 with two runs scored.
Bluefield got off to the hot start in game two, putting up crooked numbers in the second and third innings with four and three runs, respectively.
The Cavaliers, who recorded a base hit in each of the first two innings, broke through with two runs in the bottom half of the third inning. Consecutive walks put two runners on for the Cavaliers, and
Rafael Padilla's shallow fly ball to right field scored a pair of Cavaliers thanks to an error.
Caden Wright threw three sterling innings for the Cavaliers in the middle of the game, keeping Bluefield out of the hit column and allowing just a single baserunner in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning; however, despite the scoreless innings pitched, Montreat couldn't close the gap against Bluefield's pitching staff.
The Rams added on to their lead with a three-run seventh inning, driving in the trio of runs with two well-placed base knocks. Montreat pushed a run across in the bottom half of the inning via an
Elijah Baptist RBI double down the left field line, but the deficit was too much to overcome. Bluefield defeated Montreat in game two as well, 10-3.
Wetmore (1-3), Latchmansingh (1-2) and Baptist (1-1, RBI) recorded the only hits for Montreat on the day. Bruno drew two walks, and
Jeff Cardazzone earned a free pass in one of his four plate appearances.
The Montreat baseball team wraps up its three-game series with Bluefield on Saturday morning. First pitch is set for 10:00 a.m. at Big League Camp in Marion, N.C.
