MARION, N.C.— The Montreat baseball team continued non-conference play with its second doubleheader in three days, a twin bill against the Carolina University Bruins, Saturday afternoon. With the late addition and designation of home competitions at Big League Camp, the Cavs recorded an 11-6 triumph in game one before game two was suspended in the top of the seventh, resulting in a 1-1 tie. The outcomes meant Montreat's record moved to 14-13-1.
The Cavaliers scored in pairs in the opening contest, tallying exactly two runs in four of their first six trips to the plate.
Tommy Ramos started the scoring with a 2-RBI double in the first before a throwing error and RBI single from
Zeb Marquis made it 4-0 in the second.
Carolina (7-9-1) then notched runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh frames; however, so did the Cavs. After the visitors trimmed the gap to 4-2 in the top of the fifth, a sacrifice fly from Ramos coupled with a wild pitch restored the 4-run edge. The Bruins scored one in the sixth, but a 2-RBI double from Marquis, who ended game one 4-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored, extended the lead to 8-3 through six.
Both sides crossed three in the seventh as a 3-run shot from the Bruins was answered by a
Jaider Morelos RBI groundout and a 2-RBI single off the bat of
Jonathan Gonzalez to cap off the scoring in the 11-6 final. Gonzalez finished with those two RBIs.
Ramos (2-3) joined Marquis with multiple hits and multiple RBIs (2), while
Richard Matos Delacruz (2-3) notched a pair of hits and as many runs scored as Montreat outhit Carolina 11-6. On the mound,
Elian Cuevas picked up the win to improve to 2-0 with a 5-frame, 9-strikeout outing.
Matthew Rangel allowed one hit and one run over his inning of work, and
Joe Tomasello completed the squad's victory with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, surrendering just one hit in the process of grabbing his third save.
In game two, strong pitching slowed the offense for both teams.
Ryan Henrickson began the first by striking out the side and continued his strong start by facing the minimum through three. The Anchorage, Alaska native allowed a mere one hit over his initial five frames of work, struck out six total and ended up surrendering only one run on two hits in his six innings on the mound.
Marquis once again played a part in the scoring as he drove in
Isaac Castro with a single in the bottom of the third for Montreat's run. The Bruins responded in the top of the sixth, and the game was suspended in the top of the seventh, meaning the contest would go down as a 1-1 tie.
Marquis, Castro and
Manny Moore all went 1-for-2 at the dish as the Cavaliers outhit Carolina 3-2.
Baseball now returns to Newell Field on Friday, jumping back into conference play with a series against the Johnson University Royals. First pitch of Friday's contest is currently scheduled for 3 p.m.
