Sherman, Texas - The Centenary baseball team remained red hot on Saturday as the Gents swept a doubleheader over the Austin College 'Roos in convincing fashion at Baker Field to sweep the weekend series, winning 13-4 and 16-1 in seven innings.
The Gents (16-2,3-0 SCAC) are off to their best start in the division III era (2012-present) and are ranked No. 25 in the latest 2021 D3baseball.com/NCBWA Week 4 poll, it was announced on Tuesday. The 'Roos fell to 4-6 on the season with the two losses on Saturday. Centenary won 15-10 in the series opener on Friday.
Centenary has now won 25 of its last 31 games overall going back to the start of last season and the Maroon and White continued their astonishing offensive output as the Gents have now scored 10 or more runs in a game 10 times this season, and 11 or more eight times. The Gents have done so seven times during their current 10-game winning streak. Centenary scored at least 13 runs in all three games of the series and have now scored 15 runs in a game three times this season.
The Gents had a stellar day offensively, scoring 29 runs and banging out 31 hits in 16 innings. In game one, Centenary jumped out to a 10-3 lead after four innings and added single runs in the fifth, six, and ninth innings to cruise to the victory.
Senior catcher Tyler Erickson (Houston, Texas) and junior SS Brady Robinson (Jacksonville, Texas) led the way with three hits each while senior 3B Chris Haggard (Lake Charles, La.), senior LF Tyler Welch (Alexandria, La.), and junior 1B Ben Bridges (Beckville, Texas) all had two hits apiece. Bridges and Robinson each had three RBI and Welch and junior CF Gary Hewitt (Cedar Park, Texas) each had a pair of RBI. Erickson, Welch, Haggard, and Robinson all had doubles, Robinson stole three bases, and Bridges, Haggard, and senior right-fielder Cody Crowder (Shepherd, Texas) each swiped a bag.
Senior Preston Ludwick (Pflugerville, Texas) started on the mound and picked up the win to move to 4-0 on the season. He allowed just one earned run and three hits in five innings of work with two walks and five strikeouts. Ryan Culp started for the 'Roos and took the loss to fall to 2-1 as he was hit hard for eight runs, six earned, and nine hits in just three innings with a walk and two K's.
In game two, Centenary struck for a seven spot in the top of the third inning and added six more in the top of the seventh to punctuate a dominating 16-1 win in seven innings. The top of the order was lethal for the Gents as Hewitt, Crowder, Ludwick, Erickson and Bridges combined to go 13-22 with 14 RBI and 11 runs scored. Ludwick had five RBI himself and Crowder had four. Crowder had two doubles including his 53rd-career two-bagger to set a division III era program record. Robinson went 2-4 and scored three runs.
Senior right-hander Conner Poche (Lutcher, La.) started and was excellent to pick up the win and improve to 3-0 this season. He allowed just one unearned run and six hits in six innings with two walks and eight K's. Fellow senior Joshua Gatewood (League City, Texas) pitched the final inning and struck out a pair. The Gents take a break from conference play next week as they face the East Texas Baptist University Tigers in a mid-week game on Tuesday, March 23 at 7 p.m. in Marshall, Texas. Centenary then resumes SCAC play at home next weekend as the Maroon and White welcome Schreiner to Shehee Stadium for a three-game series.
A link to the Gents' complete 2021 schedule can be found here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/bsb/2020-21/schedule
#GoCentenary #CTheOpportunity
