Baseball News

Centre baseball drops final three of series

After winning the opening game of the conference series on Friday, the Colonels dropped three straight to Depauw to round out the weekend.

With the losses the Colonels record falls to 10-10 on the season, 2-6 in conference play. With the wins, the Tigers improve to 20-5, 7-1 in conference play.

Game Two

Following the first game of the series, in which the two teams combined for 18 runs on 29 hits, game two turned out to be a classic pitcher's duel as DePauw defeated Centre 3-0 Saturday, March 29 at Gary Wright Field in Danville, Ky.

The game was scoreless through three innings, then in the fourth inning the Tigers got something going putting up two runs on three hits and a Centre error. Depauw would add another run in the sixth to go ahead 3-0.

The game featured excellent pitching performances by Centre junior Jake Jones (Griffin, Ga.) and DePauw senior John Tschantz. Tschantz recorded the win and improved to 5-1 on the season holding the Colonels offense to just three hits and no runs in the complete game effort.

Jones, the tough luck loser, was equally as impressive for the Colonels allowing three runs, only one earned, on five hits (all singles). Jones struck out two and walked four in his first complete game of his career.

DePauw's Ben Gardner was the only player with multiple hits in the game recording two singles.

Game Three

Centre failed to bounce back after the loss in game three of the series, as the Colonels fell 13-3 to the Tigers in the second game of the double-header Saturday, March 29 at Gary Wright Field in Danville, Ky.

DePauw jumped ahead early, scoring six runs in the top of the first inning on Centre pitcher Andy Hagerman (Lexington, Ky.). The scoring for the Tigers would continue as they added a run in the second and third innings, three in the fourth, and two in the fifth.

Centre scored a run in the third inning, and added two in the seventh, but their offense was unable to keep up with the hitting of DePauw.

Hagerman suffered the loss for the Colonels, falling to 1-3 on the season. He allowed 11 runs, seven earned, on nine hits and walked four in four innings of work. He was relieved by senior Jarrod Williams (Carrollton, Ky.) who pitched the final three innings allowing two runs on two hits and walking three.

Aaron Meyers improved to 4-0 for the Tigers by recording the win. Meyers threw six innings allowing only one run on seven hits and striking out two.

Centre senior Ben Jeffers (New Albany, Ohio) and junior Derrick Shepherd (Gray Hawk, Ky.) each recorded two hits in the loss.

Matt Kline led the way at the plate for DePauw going 3-3 with two runs scored and four batted in.

Game Four

After losing both games of the double-header Saturday, Centre was unable to bounce back as they dropped the final game of the series 20-5 to DePauw Sunday, March 30 at Gary Wright Field in Danville, Ky.

Like the previous game of the series, DePauw jumped out to a lead in the top of the first inning, scoring three runs off Centre pitcher Aaron Herbert (Louisville, Ky.). DePauw would add two in the third and five runs in the fourth to go ahead 10-0 before Centre would get on the board in the bottom half of the fourth inning.

Centre showed signs of life in the fifth as they put up four runs to cut into the DePauw lead, but the Tigers would answered with eight runs of their own in the sixth inning to put the game out of reach.

Herbert took the loss for the Colonels, after allowing 10 runs, nine earned, on 10 hits while striking out three and walking one in four innings. He was relieved by freshman Cory Crowdis (Louisville, Ky.) who threw two innings and allowed 10 runs, and junior Jeffrey Williams (Knoxville, Tenn.) who threw the final inning for the Colonels.

Brad Gerlach of the Tigers recorded the win going six innings allowing five runs on seven hits while striking out seven. Andrew Priem finished the game for DePauw, going one inning and allowing no runs and no hits.

Kevin McGee (Louisville, Ky.) was the lone Colonel with multiple hits in the game as he went 2-3 at the plate and scored a run. Freshman Steven Proctor (Springfield, Ga.) had one hit and drove in three runs in the loss.

DePauw's offense was led by Justin Weiner who went 3-4 with a grand slam in the game. Ben Gardner and Matt Kleine also recorded three hits for the Tigers.

Centre is scheduled to return to action against Transylvania Tuesday, April 1 at Gary Wright Field in Danville, Ky. First pitch is scheduled for 7 pm.