PENSACOLA, FLA. – Baseball kicked off the Studer's Blue Wahoos Stadium Challenge Tuesday with a pair of non-conference battles. They squared off with the Grinell Pioneers and the Sewanee Tigers. The Pioneers (5-4) rallied for a 12-8 victory against the Eagles (1-4). Against the Tigers (9-6), Edgewood College held off a late Sewanee surge for a 9-7 victory.
GAME ONE: GRINELL 12, EDGEWOOD COLLEGE 8
- The Pioneers struck first. A single brought in a run in the first, while a two-run single to center field and a throwing error left things 4-0 Grinell after two.
- A sacrifice fly from
Brevin Brisack put the Eagles on the board in the third. The offenses would go quiet until the fifth, where Edgewood College took the lead.
Carson Richter hit a three-RBI double to center field to tie things up, before
Kyle Prindle singled to left field for a 5-4 edge after five.
- The Eagles built up their lead in the sixth. Edgewood College took advantage of runners on second and third with no outs, with
Daniel Bentivegna sending a run home with a single to left field.
Dominic Lee added another RBI single to right field, before
Hayden Hellenbrand left things 8-4 after the top of the six with a single to center field.
-The Pioneers replied in the bottom of the sixth. A pair of bases-loaded walks and a hit by pitch plated three for Grinell, while a sacrifice fly to center field evened things up 8-8 after six.
- The Pioneers pushed ahead in the seventh and eighth. An RBI triple down the right field line and a single to right field each plated a run in the seventh, while a triple to center field and a single to left center added on a pair of insurance runs as they kept the Eagles offense in check to close out a victory.
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Jacob Carney hit 3-for-5 with a run and a walk. Bentivegna swung 3-for-6 in the game.
- Richter hit 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Lee recorded three walks.
- Aidan Schumaker pitched well in the start, tossing eight strikeouts in five innings.
- Grinnell tallied five doubles and a pair of triples as a team. Stuart Cash hit 3-for-5 with three runs and an RBI.
GAME TWO: EDGEWOOD COLLEGE 9, SEWANEE 7
- A pair of two-RBI singles got the Eagles rolling in the first. A Lee single up the middle followed by a
Ryan Harris single up the middle put Edgewood College ahead 4-0 after one.
- After a sacrifice fly got the Tigers on the board with a run in the third, a Hellenbrand double to left center plated a pair of runs to push the Eagle advantage to 6-1.
- Sewanee chipped away at the Eagle lead. In the fifth, a single to right field sent in a runner, while a triple to left field in the sixth added on another RBI. Bentivegna erased the gains with a two-RBI single up the middle with the bases loaded to leave Edgewood College ahead 8-3.
- A bases-loaded two-RBI double kicked off a strong eighth inning for the Tigers, though the Eagles would cut down a runner at home on the play. After a double to center field and a single through the right side each tacked on a run, a double play from Edgewood College would cut down the threat. After a passed ball tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth,
Mark Tor would cut down three batters in a row for a save.
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Drew Lenz earned the victory with a strong start. He pitched 6.2 innings, striking out five and allowing only three runs.
- Harris hit 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run.
Colby Davis hit 2-for-4 with a walk.
- Bentivegna, Lee, and Hellenbrand each tallied a pair of RBIs.
Jacob Carney and
Kyle Prindle both earned two walks.
- Zach Fortman swung 3-for-5 with three RBIs, a double, a triple, and a stolen base.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Eagles have won both meetings against the Tigers, including their last meeting back in 2017.
- The Pioneers victory against Edgewood College was their first in the series, dating back to 2007.
- Tor's save was the first of his career as an Eagle.
UP NEXT
Edgewood College will continue their stay in Florida with another matchup against Sewanee. First pitch is scheduled for tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. n Pensacola, Fla.
