LAKE WALES, Fla.— Making a trip to the state of Florida for the second time in three weeks, the Montreat baseball team ventured to Lake Wales for the start of a 4-game set against the Warner University Royals. Thanks to a thrilling come-from-behind 9-5 win in the opener, the Cavaliers split an evenly matched non-conference doubleheader to move to 4-6 on the year.
Following a pair of scoreless frames to open game one, Warner broke the deadlock in the bottom of the third. A dropped third strike coupled with two walks loaded the bases for the hosts, and they capitalized on the free baserunners. All three Royals came around to score, and a fourth crossed home plate behind a 2-out error. As a result, the home side claimed a 4-0 lead through three innings.
Tommy Ramos put the visitors on the scoreboard in the fourth when he deposited a baseball over the outfield fence for a solo home run, but a few more empty trips to the dish allowed WU to restore its 4-run edge via an RBI double in the sixth.
Mitch Ball started the Cavs' comeback when he stole second and third before sprinting home on a throwing error in the top of the seventh to pull Montreat back within three runs. A native of East Peoria, Ill., Ball then cut the gap to 5-3 with a 2-out, bases-loaded walk during the following frame; however, it wasn't until the ninth inning when the Cavaliers finally surpassed Warner.
With the bases juiced and one out in the top of the ninth,
Manny Moore slapped a single down the first-base line that, when coupled with a throwing error, flipped Montreat's 5-3 deficit into a 6-5 lead. Moore then swiped home on a double steal two batters later, and
Jeff Cardazzone plated a pair via a single to left center for some much-needed breathing room. That 6-run ninth ultimately closed out the scoring as
Joe Tomasello hurled a perfect inning on the mound, and the visitors snatched a 9-5 come-from-behind victory.
Tyler Best picked up his first win of the season while registering three scoreless frames and a pair of strikeouts in relief. On offense,
Zeb Marquis (2-5) proved to be the lone Cav with multiple hits, and both Moore and Cardazzone drove in multiple runs.
Warner (4-3) escaped a bases-loaded jam early in game two, which afforded it the opportunity to open the scoring once again in the latter half of Friday's doubleheader. A trio of hits, including two doubles, handed the hosts a 2-0 advantage through one inning of play.
After
Ryan Henrickson tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the second, Montreat utilized a passed ball and a fielder's choice to level the score at two during the ensuing half-inning. Henrickson retired seven consecutive batters before the Royals reestablished their 2-run lead on a fourth-inning RBI double to left center and a run-producing single up the middle.
Jonathan Gonzalez halved the deficit in the sixth with an RBI groundout to second base, but the Cavaliers couldn't erase the gap. Warner sent the visitors down in order in the seventh to collect a 4-3 win and split Friday's doubleheader.
On the mound, Henrickson punched out seven WU batters across his 5 1/3 innings of work.
Dalton Strickland struck out a hitter as well in his brief relief appearance. Of the Cavs' four hits, Ball logged the lone extra-base hit in game two thanks to his sixth-inning double.
"Overall, today was a good day," said head coach
Jason Beck. "The guys showed a ton of fight in both games. It was nice to see their hard work pay off. Our positives outweighed our negatives, and we will continue to improve."
The Montreat baseball team resumes its 4-game series with Warner tomorrow afternoon. Game one is slated to get under way at 12 p.m. in Lake Wales, Fla.
