Bristol, TN – Southern Wesleyan dropped the final game of the series against the King Tornado on Monday afternoon in a 12-7 final.
The Warriors totaled 14 hits in the loss to the Tornado. Josh Long led the team as he went 4-for-5 at the plate. Long and Caide Linker each doubled, and Cam Mitchem recorded a home run. Gage Shaver had two of the seven RBIs. Southern Wesleyan walked four times.
Nick Gonsalves started the final game of the series on the mound and pitched 2.2 innings while striking out two batters. Six Warriors came in to pitch in relief. Logan Brazell had the other strikeout of the game.
Game Vitals
Final: King 12, Southern Wesleyan 7
Records: Southern Wesleyan (9-34 / CC 9-15) King (12-29 / CC 7-17)
How It Happened
Southern Wesleyan struck first as they brought one run in to score in the third inning. Zach Kim led off the inning by hitting a single up the middle. Gavin Mitchell laid down a sacrifice bunt to allow Kim to advance to third. With Kim ninety feet from home, Griffin Pickhardt hit a single through the left side of the field to bring Kim in to score.
King took the lead in the bottom of the inning as a triple by Roper, and a couple singles by Starrs and Borchardt allowed three runs to come in to score.
However, the Tornado lead was short lived as the Warriors brought several more runs in to score in the fourth. Marty Grisso led off the inning by getting on base off a single. Grisso advanced to third base as Cam Mitchem hit a single into center field. With runners on the corners, Gage Shaver hit into a fielder's choice that took Mitchem off the bases, but allowed Grisso to come in to score. Caide Linker sent the ball down the left field line for a double that brought Shaver across home plate. With two outs, Gavin Mitchell hit a single into center field to allow Linker to come in to score the Warriors fourth run of the game.
The Tornado would not relent as a series of hits and a couple of errors by the Warriors allowed them to bring nine runs in to score in the fifth inning.
The Warriors began to chip away at King's lead in the top of the seventh inning. Josh Long led off the inning by hitting a single to right field. Long advanced to second as Marty Grisso sent the ball up the middle for a single. Cam Mitchem ground out to the third baseman to allow both Long and Grisso to advance a base. With runners in scoring position, Gage Shaver hit a sacrifice fly out to right field to allow Long to come in to score.
Southern Wesleyan persisted as they brought another run in to score in the eighth. With one out, Gavin Mitchell hit a single through the right side and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Vincent Angle walked. Mitchell advanced to third base as Nolan Evatt flew out to let field. Josh Long hit a single to left field to bring Mitchell in to score and put the Warriors behind the Tornado 12-6.
Cam Mitchem kicked off the ninth inning by hitting a home run over the left field fence. However, the Warriors were unable to bring another run in to score as they fell to the Tornado in a 12-7 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will travel over to Anderson, SC on April 15 as they take on the Anderson Trojans at 5pm. They will then return to Central, SC on April 18-19 as they host the Emmanuel Lions. Prior to the games on April 19, the Warriors will host their annual Military Appreciation ceremony. The Warriors will then travel to Gaffney, SC to take on the Limestone Saints on April 23.
