Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan split the doubleheader against the Chowan Hawks on Friday evening. After dropping game one 6-5, the Warriors claimed a 5-4 walk-off victory off a single by Zachary Kim in game two.
The Warriors totaled nine hits in the game one loss to the Hawks. Jack Dennison, Cam Mitchem, and Caide Linker each had two hits. Both Mitchem and Griffin Pickhardt doubled. Southern Wesleyan walked five times and both Ryan Postnieks and Ethan Jarvis stole bases. Gage Shaver started game one on the mound and pitched five innings while striking out three batters. Bryce Metts closed out the game for Southern Wesleyan and struck out three.
Zachary Kim led the Warriors in game two as he went 3-for-4 at the plate. Marty Grisso hit a triple and Kim had a double. Kim and Vincent Angle each had two RBIs. The other RBI of the game came off the bat of Josh Long. Southern Wesleyan walked twice and both Kim and Gage Shaver had stolen bases. Jaylen Morgan started game two on the mound and pitched 4.2 innings while striking out three batters. Both Logan Brazell and Nick Gonsalves came in to pitch in relief. Gonsalves picked up the win after pitching 2.1 innings and striking out four.
Game Vitals
Game One Final: Chowan 6, Southern Wesleyan 5
Game Two Final: Southern Wesleyan 5, Chowan 4
Records: Southern Wesleyan (4-18 / CC 3-8) Chowan (2-13 / CC 1-7)
How It Happened
Game One
Southern Wesleyan scored the first run of the game as they brought one run in to score in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Cam Mitchem hit a double to left center field. Caide Linker followed by hitting a single through the left side to bring Mitchem in to score.
However, Chowan answered in the top of the fourth inning as a single off the bat of Bailey brought Rumaldo in to score to tie the game up.
The Warriors regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. With two outs on the board, Ethan Jarvis was hit by a pitch and then stole second to get into scoring position. Jack Dennison sent the ball into the outfield for a single that allowed Jarvis to come in to score.
The lead was short lived as the Hawks were able to bring another run in to score in the top of the fifth.
Southern Wesleyan was not done as they regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Josh Long led off the inning with a walk and then advanced to second on a balk. Cam Mitchem was hit by a pitch and then Caide Linker hit a single to center field to load up the bases for Griffin Pickhardt. Pickhardt flew out to center field to bring Long in to score. A walk to Jarrett Whitley loaded up the bases once again for the Warriors. Ryan Postnieks hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Mitchem to come in to score to give the Warriors a 4-2 run lead.
Gage Shaver and Bryce Metts were able to keep the Hawks off the board until the top of the seventh inning when Chowan brought four runs in to score to give them a 6-4 lead.
The Warriors challenged in the bottom of the ninth inning. With one out, Griffin Pickhardt hit the ball to deep right center field for a double. A wild pitch allowed Pickhardt to advance to third. Niko Laing hit a single to shallow left center field to bring Pickhardt in to score. However, the Warriors could not bring another run in to score and so fell to the Hawks in game one 6-5.
Game Two
Chowan came out strong in the top of the first inning as a ground out by Bellamy allowed Santana to come in to score the first run of the game.
The Hawks were able to keep the Warriors off the board until the bottom of the first inning. Gage Shaver led off the inning by hitting a single to left field. Cam Mitchem was then hit by a pitch to put two on. Both Shaver and Mitchem were able to advance a base as Niko Laing laid down a sacrifice bunt. With both runners in scoring position, Zachary Kim came up to the plate and hit a single to center field on the second pitch he saw to bring Shaver in to score to tie the game. Kim then stole second to put both runners in scoring position once again. Vincent Angle singled to left center to bring both Mitchem and Kim in to score to give the Warriors a 3-1 run lead.
Chowan fought back as a double by Bellamy and a balk brought three runs in to score.
The Warriors tied the game up once again in the bottom of the sixth inning. Zachary Kim led off the inning by doubling to right center field. Kim then advanced to third bae as Vincent Angle laid down a sacrifice bunt. With Kim ninety feet from home plate, Josh Long hit a single to right field to bring Kim in to score and tie the game up.
Southern Wesleyan walked the game off in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Marty Grisso was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second when Gage Shaver walked. With two on and one out, Cam Mitchem hit a single to left field. However, Grisso was thrown out trying to come in to score on the play. The Warriors would not back down as Niko Laing looked at four straight balls to collect the walk and load up the bases for Zachary Kim. Kim knocked the ball to deep left field for a single that brought Shaver in to score to allow the Warriors to win game two of the series 5-4.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will wrap up the series against Chowan on March 8 at noon. They will then travel to Hickory, NC to take on the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears at 5pm. The Warriors will host the Erskine Flying Fleet on March 14-15.
