Murfreesboro, NC – Southern Wesleyan took down the Chowan Hawks in the opening doubleheader of the series. The Warriors took game one 14-12 before claiming game two in a 26-2 final score.
Southern Wesleyan collected 16 hits in the opening game of the series. Nolan Evatt led the team by going 4 for 6 at the plate on Friday afternoon. Luke Taylor followed by going 3 for 5 at the plate and collecting five RBIs. Evatt, Cole Kirschner, Taylor and Kade Bowling each doubled in the game. Taylor picked up his second home run of the season. The Warriors walked seven times and stole five bases. Both Tristan Tillman and Evatt had two steals in the game. Matthew White started the first game of the series and pitched four innings while striking out five batters. Gavin Kent, Coleman Wylie and Caleb Gregory each came in to pitch in relief. Gregory struck out two and claimed the save.
The Warriors picked up 27 hits in the second game of the day. Ethan Shimmel led the team by going 4 for 4 at the plate while picking up five RBIs. Shimmel homered twice and Perry Dyer picked up the other home run of the game. Southern Wesleyan had eight doubles in the game with both Tristan Tillman and Samuel Simonds hitting two each. The other doubles came off the bats of Beau Berge, Shimmel, Dyer and Harrison Garrett. The Warriors walked eight times and Tillman, Nolan Evatt and Matthew McCaffrey each stole bases. Lukas Arvantides pitched a complete game and struck out two batters.
Game Vitals
Game One Final: Southern Wesleyan 14, Chowan 12
Game Two Final: Southern Wesleyan 26, Chowan 2
Records: Southern Wesleyan (13-25 / CC 7-16) Chowan (3-25 / CC 3-20)
How It Happened
Game One
The Warriors were first on the board as they brought several runs in to score in the top of the first. With one out, Nolan Evatt singled to left field. Evatt then stole second base. Ethan Shimmel walked and then Cole Kirschner was hit by a pitch to load up the bases for Kade Bowling. Bowling drilled the ball up the middle for a double that allowed both Evatt and Shimmel to come in to score. Luke Taylor came up to bat and sent the ball over the right center field fence to extend the Warriors lead to 5-0.
Chowan answered in the bottom of the second inning as Ahmaad Goldson hit a solo home run.
Southern Wesleyan regained their five run advantage in the third inning. With one out, Matthew McCaffrey hit a single down the left field line. McCaffrey then stole second base to get into scoring position. With two outs, Nolan Evatt stepped up to the plate and sent the ball into left center field for a double to bring McCaffrey in to score. Ethan Shimmel then hit a single into right center field to allow Evatt to come in to score and put the Warriors on top 7-1.
The Hawks cut the Warriors lead down to three in the bottom of the third inning as back-to-back doubles by Jordan Turner and Josh Tripp allowed three runs to come in to score.
Southern Wesleyan continued to attack the plate in the fourth inning. Cole Kirschner and Kade Bowling each walked to bring Perry Dyer up to bat. Dyer hit a single into right center field to allow Bowling to advance to third and bring Kirschner in to score the Warriors eighth run of the game. Luke Taylor stepped up to the plate and sent the ball down the right field line for a double that brought Bowling across home plate.
Peyton Clay hit a two run blast in the fourth inning to put the Hawks back within three runs of the Warriors.
However, the Warriors were not done as they plated another run in the fifth. Ethan Shimmel led off with a walk and then advanced to second as the Hawks catcher threw the ball down the right field line on a failed pick-off attempt. Cole Kirschner followed by hitting a double into left field to allow Shimmel to come in to score. Kade Bowling hit into a fielder's choice, but an error by the Hawks pitcher allowed Kirschner not only advance to third, but also to come in to score. Bowling went on to advance to second on the play. A single off the bat of Perry Dyer allowed Bowling to advance to third base. However, Dyer was called out on the play as he looked to take second base. Luke Taylor ground out to the pitcher to bring Bowling in to score.
In the sixth inning, the Warriors struck once again. Tristan Tillman was hit by a pitch and then stole second base to get into scoring position. Nolan Evatt followed by hitting a single through the right side of the field to allow Tillman to come in to score.
Chowan struck once again in the bottom of the sixth inning as Peyton Clay hit his second home run of the game to put the Hawks behind the Warriors 13-9.
The Hawks continued to challenge the Warriors' defense as Ahmaad Goldson hit a single into right field to allow Nick Reiss to advance to second. However, an error in the outfield allowed Reiss to come in to score. A sacrifice fly out by Colin Gifford brought in the Hawks eleventh run of the game.
Southern Wesleyan was not done as they struck once again in the ninth inning. Perry Dyer led off the inning by being hit by a pitch. Luke Taylor laid down a sacrifice bunt to allow Dyer to advance to second base. With one out, Harrison Garrett sent the ball up the middle for a single that allow Dyer to come in to score.
The Hawks would not go down quietly as Jacob Howard hit a solo home run over the right field fence. However, Caleb Gregory forced the next three batters to ground out to allow the Warriors to claim the first game of the series in a 14-12 final.
Game Two
Southern Wesleyan did not let up as they started game two of the series thirty minutes later. Tristan Tillman led off the top of the first inning by hitting the ball down the left field line for a double. Tillman came in to score the first run of the game as Nolan Evatt dropped the ball into right center field for a single. Evatt then stole second, and both Ethan Shimmel and Cole Kirschner were hit by pitches to load up the bases for Kade Bowling. Bowling became the third Warrior in a row to be hit by a pitch to allow Evatt to come in to score. With the bases loaded, Perry Dyer sent the ball over the left field fence for a grand slam home run to give the Warriors a 6-0 run lead. Luke Taylor walked to force the Hawks to go to the bull pen. With a new Hawk on the mound, Harrison Garrett was hit by a pitch. The bases were loaded once again as Matthew McCaffrey laid down a bunt single. Tristan Tillman came up to bat for the second time in the inning and walked to bring Taylor in to score. Nolan Evatt and Ethan Shimmel each walked in their second at bats to bring two more runs in to score and put the Warriors ahead 9-0.
The Warriors went on the attack again in the second inning. Luke Taylor opened up the inning for the Warriors by hitting a single into left center field. Taylor came in to score as Harrison Garrett hit a double down the left field line. Matthew McCaffrey followed by hitting a single to right field to allow Garrett to advance to third. McCaffrey then stole second to put two runners in scoring position and bring Tristan Tillman up to bat. Tillman hit a double into left field to bring both Garrett and McCaffrey in to score. Tillman then stole third base. With one out and Tillman at third, Ethan Shimmel sent the ball over the right field fence for a two run home run. Cole Kirschner hit a single into left field and then advanced to second as Kade Bowling walked. A wild pitch allowed both runners to advance, and then Perry Dyer walked to load up the bases for Luke Taylor. Taylor sent the ball up the middle for a single that allowed both Kirschner and Bowling to come in to score. With two runners on, Harrison Garrett hit a single to right field to bring Dyer across home plate and give the Warriors a 17-0 run advantage.
In the top of the third inning, the Warriors struck again. Ethan Shimmel led off the inning by hitting a double to left field. Shimmel advanced to third as Cole Kirschner hit a single through the right side. With two outs, Perry Dyer doubled through the left side to allow Shimmel to come in to score. Luke Taylor then hit the ball into right field for a single that brought both Kirschner and Dyer in to score and extend the Warriors lead to 20-0.
The Warriors extended their lead further in the fourth inning. With one out, Samuel Simonds came in to pinch hit for Nolan Evatt and hit a double to left center field. Simonds then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Ethan Shimmel came up to bat and drilled the ball over the left field fence for a two-run home run.
Chowan got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning as a single by Teray Cherry allowed Derrick Wade to come in to score.
The Warriors were not done as they brought several more runs in to score in the sixth inning. Samuel Simonds led off the inning by hitting a single down the right field line. Simonds advanced to second as Ethan Shimmel hit a single through the right side. Beau Berge came in to pinch hit and sent the ball down the left field line for a double that allowed Simonds to come in to score. With one out and two runners on base, Perry Dyer hit a sacrifice fly out to right field to bring Shimmel in to score. Cotes Reid followed by hitting a single up the middle to allow Berge to score the Warriors twenty fifth run of the game.
In the top of the seventh, the Warriors struck again. Samuel Simonds led off the inning by hitting a double down the left field line. Vincent Angle came in to pinch hit and hit a single down the right field line to allow Simonds to come in to score.
Chowan brought one more run in to score in the bottom of the seventh inning. However, Lukas Arvantides and the Warriors defense were able to prevent the Hawks from bringing any more runners in to score. The Warriors walked away with a 26-2 run victory in game two.
What's Next
The Warriors will wrap up the series against the Chowan Hawks on April 4 at noon. They will then return to Dr. C Keith Connor Field on April 8 to host the Georgia College Bobcats at 5pm. Southern Wesleyan will host the Belmont Abbey Crusaders on April 10-11. On the 11th, the Warriors will host their annual Military Appreciation Game with special ceremonies beginning at 12:15 pm.
