ALC Baseball earns split vs Ohio Christian University in pair of extra-inning games

Pippa Passes, KY: The Alice Lloyd College Eagles (8-5) baseball team returned to the diamond on March 3^rd for a twin-bill against the Ohio Christian Trailblazers (5-7). The visitors would play well and take the series.

March 3rd

Game 1

ALC-8: OCU-10 (Nine Innings)

The hosts grabbed an early lead but saw it slip away in extra innings.

The scoring began in the first. ALC used a big double from Jayden Huff (LF), combined with 4 walks by OCU pitching, to race out to a 4-0 advantage.

The Trailblazers earned one of those back in the second with a single (4-1).

Then, in the top of the fourth, the Buckeye squad would layer a pair of singles around a big double to plate 4 of their own. The visitors now led, 5-4, but the Caney Crew would pounce once more.

In the bottom of the inning, Aaron Rothballer (DH) would smack a single and then Challen Massengill (CF) would line a shot for a double. The pair of hits fueled "The Pass" to 4 runs of their own. Suddenly, the hosts led, 8-5. Unfortunately, they could not hold it.

In the sixth, Ohio would come up with a pair of critical singles that produced a trio of runs. Just like that, the contest was knotted up at 8-8, and would go to extra-innings.

Both squads went down in the eighth, but in the ninth, the Trailblazers managed to get a runner on base. The next batter promptly cracked a home run, giving the lead back to OCU, 10-8.

Down to their last chance, the Eagles went out in order to end the festivities.

At the plate, Massengill and John Lopez (RF) both recorded 2 hits while Massengill led the way with 2 RBI's.

Five men took to the mound for the Caney Creekers. Quentin Williams started and went 3.1 innings. He allowed 5 earned runs on 7 hits with 1 K. Thomas Forehand followed, allowing 2 hits and 0 runs in 1.2 innings of work. He whiffed 1. Noah Lawson gave up 1 hit and 3 runs with one K, while Anakin Floyd gave up 3 hits and 0 runs with one strikeout in 1.2 innings.

Matthew Hebar went the final pair of innings and suffered the hard-luck loss. He allowed only 1 hit, but 2 runs on the homer.

The Eagles were outhit, 14-9, but did play error-free ball.

Game 2

Alice Lloyd- 5: OCU-4 (Eight Innings)

The Eagles fell behind, but rallied to take the match in extra-innings.

The visiting squad would open the scoring in the first, using a pair of singles and a double to plate 3 runs, 3-1. Then in the third, a single and double made the score 4-0. Fortunately, ALC would respond.

In the bottom of the fourth, Jayden Huff led off the inning with a homerun (4-1). Then, two batters later, Kyle Compton repeated the feat (4-2). Later, an OCU error permitted an additional run to race home, and shrink the deficit to one, 4-3.

The score remained the same until the sixth inning. In that at-bat, Eagle Austin Byrd rapped a triple with a runner on base to knot the match (4-4). From there, the score remained unchanged through the seventh inning, and the contest went to extra innings for the second straight game.

In the top of the eighth, Ohio placed a runner in scoring position with a one-out double, but the final two batters were retired in order.

In the lower half of the inning, the Caney Creek clubbers loaded the bases with one out . Kyle Johnson (DH) then strolled to the plate and laced a single to right field to deliver the goods (5-4) and ensure a split.

At the plate, Compton smacked a pair of hits while Huff, Compton, Byrd, and Johnson each recorded a RBI.

Jacob Ayers started on the mound and pitched 5.2 solid innings. He allowed 4 earned runs on 11 hits. He struck out 3.  Colton Lovelace went the final 2.1 innings, allowing just 1 hit with 2 K's to take the win.

The Eagles led in hits, 12-8, and each squad made 1 error.