Franklin Springs, GA – Southern Wesleyan dropped the final two games of the series against the Emmanuel Lions on Saturday afternoon. The Warriors dropped game one 7-6 before falling 5-3 in the second game.
The Warriors picked up 10 hits in the first game of the afternoon. Luke Taylor and Cole Kirschner each had two hits in the game. Taylor, Kade Bowling and Perry Dyer each doubled in the game. Southern Wesleyan walked three times and Cotes Reid stole a base. Tanner Lewis started the game on the mound and struck out five batters in the 3.1 innings he pitched. Matthew White, Ash Faulk and Caleb Gregory came in to pitch in relief. White struck out five batters in the 2.2 innings he pitched.
Southern Wesleyan totaled five hits in their second game of the day. Ethan Shimmel picked up the lone extra base hit for the Warriors. Nolan Evatt, Luke Taylor, Chance Kennedy and Matthew McCaffrey each stole bases in the game. The Warriors walked twice and Taylor was hit by a pitch. Gavin Chandler started the game on the mound and pitched 3.1 innings while striking out five batters.
Game Vitals
Game One Final: Emmanuel 7, Southern Wesleyan 6
Game Two Final: Emmanuel 5, Southern Wesleyan 3
Records: Southern Wesleyan (11-24 / CC 5-16) Emmanuel (16-17 / CC 12-11)
How It Happened
Game One
The Lions were first on the board as they brought one run in to score in the bottom of the second inning.
Emmanuel extended their lead in the bottom of the third inning as a failed pick-off attempt allowed Davis Roesler to come in to score.
Southern Wesleyan tied the game up in the top of the fourth inning. Perry Dyer led off the inning by hitting a double into left center field. Kade Bowling followed by sending the ball into right field for a double that brought Dyer in to score. The Warriors were not done as Cole Kirschner got the ball down for a single to allow Bowling to come in to score.
The Warriors took the lead for the first time in the game in the fifth inning. An error at first allowed Ethan Shimmel to reach first and then advance to second. Chance Kennedy came in to pinch run for Shimmel. With two outs, Cole Kirschner was intentionally walked to bring Matthew McCaffrey up to bat. McCaffrey hit a single into right center field to allow Chance Kennedy to come in to score. A walk to Ryan Postnieks loaded up the bases for Luke Taylor. Taylor hit a single into right field to bring both Kirschner and McCaffrey in to score.
However, the Lions regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning off hits by Haidyn McGill and Aidan Feather.
The Warriors were not done as they tied the game back up in the top of the seventh. With two outs, Samuel Simonds hit a single into left field. Ethan Jarvis came in to pinch run for Simonds and then came in to score the tying run as Luke Taylor hit a double into right field.
However, in the bottom of the ninth inning, an error at third base allowed the Lions to bring Matt Layton in to score to win the game in a 7-6 final.
Game Two
Singles off the bats of Haidyn McGill and Chaz Encarnacion allowed three runs to come in to score and give the Lions the early lead in the second inning.
The Warriors cut into the Lions lead in the top of the fourth inning. Nolan Evatt led off by reaching first on a walk. Evatt then stole second to get into scoring position. With one out, Ethan Shimmel hit a double into right center field to bring Evatt in to score Southern Wesleyan's first run of the game.
However, in the bottom of the fourth inning, Emmanuel regained their three run lead as Haidyn McGill hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Dee Oliver to come in to score. They continued to attack the plate as with the bases loaded a walk to Nick Madrigal brought McGill in to score.
Southern Wesleyan chipped away at Emmanuel's lead in the fifth inning. Luke Taylor was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second as Josh Long walked. Cotes Reid came in to pinch run for Long. A sacrifice bunt off the bat of Matthew McCaffrey allowed both runners to advance ninety feet. Tristan Tillman came up to bat and hit a single to shortstop to allow Taylor to come in to score.
The Warriors struck again in the sixth inning. Perry Dyer led off by hitting a single to right center field. However, Luke Taylor hit into a fielder's choice that took Dyer off the bases. Taylor then stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Harrison Garrett walked to put runners on the corners and bring Matthew McCaffrey up to bat. McCaffrey hit a single into right field to allow Taylor to come in to score. However, the Warriors fell to the Lions in a 5-3 run final.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will return to Dr. C Keith Connor Field on March 31 to take on the Augusta Jaguars at 5pm. The Warriors will travel up to Murfreesboro, NC on April 3-4 to take on the Chowan Hawks.
