Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell in the opening game of the series against the Erskine Flying Fleet on Friday evening in an 18-7 final score.
The Warriors totaled 15 hits in the first game of the series. Noah Wiggins led the team with four hits. He was followed by four Warriors with two hits. Jackson Mix, Marty Grisso, Tyler Jackson and Dawson Gilstrap all doubled. Mix picked up his second triple of the season. Both Wiggins and Grisso had two RBIs. Chance Fogel had the lone stole base.
Cord Babcock started on the mound for the Warriors and pitched two innings while striking out one batter. Four Warriors came in to pitch in relief. Andrew Patterson and Christian Cassidy each had three strikeouts.
Game Vitals
Final: Erskine 18, Southern Wesleyan 7
Records: Southern Wesleyan (13-31 / CC 7-18) Erskine (27-16 / CC 12-11)
How It Happened
The Warriors attacked first in the opening game as Noah Wiggins singled to right center field. Cam Mitchem then singled up the middle to advance Wiggins to second. With one out, Chance Fogel singled through the right side to bring Wiggins in to score. A double down the left field line by Marty Grisso allowed both Fogel and Mitchem to cross home plate and give the Warriors a 3-0 run lead.
Erskine countered as they scored ten runs between the top of the second and third innings to put them ahead 10-3.
The Warriors countered in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Dawson Gilstrap singled to the pitcher. A sacrifice groundout by Travis Hammond allowed Gilstrap to advance to second. Jackson Mix hit a double to left center to score Gilstrap. With two outs, Noah Wiggins singled to right center to score Mix and put the score at 10-5.
The Flying Fleet continued to push ahead as a single by Tariq Bacon brought the eleventh run in to score in the top of the fifth inning.
Southern Wesleyan scored once again in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs, Josh Long singled to left field. A double to left center by Tyler Jackson allowed Long to come in and score.
In the top of the sixth inning, Ashby Smith doubled to left center field to bring Dale Francis across home plate to extend the Flying Fleet's lead to 12-6.
The Warriors came back within five runs of the Flying Fleet in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Jackson Mix tripled down the right field line. A single by Noah Wiggins scored Mix.
Erskine pushed on as they scored in the top of the seventh, eighth and ninth inning to win the game in an 18-7 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will wrap up the series against the Flying Fleet on April 22 in a double header beginning at 1 pm. Prior to the first pitch of game one, the Warriors will host their annual Military Appreciation Day ceremony which is set to begin at 12:30 p.m. Southern Wesleyan will wrap up the regular season on the road as they travel to Tigerville, SC to take on the North Greenville Crusaders on April 28-29.
