Centre falls in doubleheader to Maryville College

The Centre baseball team dropped two games to Maryville College Wednesday, March 14 at Wright Field in Danville, Ky. In the opener Centre lost 5-4 after allowing several hits late in the game. In the next game the Colonels lost 11-3.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the third when Maryville got on the board. It brought in two runs to take the lead. Centre was able to get two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make the game even. The only two players that had hits in the inning for Centre brought in the runs. Senior Kyle Rakes (Ashland, Ky.) and sophomore Jake Jones (Griffin, Ga.) each made it to the home plate. Centre looked like it was waking up when it scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Jones drove in junior Ben Jeffers (New Albany, Ohio) and then got home when he was batted in by Rakes. Centre was able to keep Maryville scoreless until the top of the seventh. In that inning a big hit by the Scots brought in two runs to tie the game. The next hit brought in the final run that would put the Scots back in control and allowed them to take the game.

Freshmen Justin Basham (Bowling Green, Ky.) started but only pitched the first two innings for the Colonels. He allowed only one hit and had three strikeouts. He was replaced by freshmen Aaron Herbert (Louisville, Ky.) in the third. Herbert allowed two runs off six hits. Junior John Herbert (Louisville, Ky.) came in as relief and finished the game for the Colonels. He allowed three runs and two hits.

Centre had trouble getting hits as Maryville struck out five players. Freshmen Kai Leathers (Franklin, Ky.), Rakes and Jones were the only Centre players to get hits during the game. They had multiple hits in the game.

In the second game Maryville got off to a much better start, putting Centre behind in the first inning when it scored three runs. The Scots increased their lead in the top of the second when they brought in five more runs to make the score 8-0. Centre brought one run in when sophomore Drew Allison (Gordon, Ky.) batted in Rakes. Centre kept pressuring Maryville but could not bring in enough runs to tie the game. The Colonels scored in the bottom of the third when Jones drove in senior Eric Moore (Bowling Green, Ky.) to make the game 8-2. Centre's slow comeback was cut off in the top of the the fourth when Maryville brought in two more runs. It brought in its final run in the top of the sixth to make it's final score 11. Centre tried to respond on the bottom of the sixth but could only bring in one run, when sophomore Brandon Rosen (Ashland, Ky.) batted in Rakes to make the final score 11-3.

Centre had four different pitchers rotate in throughout the game. Senior Johnny Carnes started and pitched the first inning and part of the second. He allowed eight runs off six hits and came away with one strikeout. He was replaced by junior Jarrod Williams (Carrollton, Ky.). Williams allowed two runs off three hits and came away with two strikeouts. Herbert stepped back on the mound but only pitched one inning. He allowed two hits and had one strikeout. Jones finished on the mound for the Colonels. He allowed one run off one hit and had three strikeouts.

Centre did better this game getting on base as eight different players had hits. Allison, Rosen and Jones all batted one runner in.

Centre, 6-5, will travel to LaGrange College to play a doubleheader Sunday, March 18 starting a 2:00 pm.