Struggling Offense Finds Form Against CAU
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 In dropping eight of its first nine contests, Miles offense hit a paltry .235 and never really had an opportunity to do much damage to its opponents. That all changed Saturday in a doubleheader sweep of Clark Atlanta at Rickwood Field. The Golden Bears (3-8) took the opener 4-2 and ran away in the nightcap, 17-1.
While 18 hits over two 7-inning games is not exactly an offensive explosion, it helped raise the team's batting average 16 points in one afternoon. Add 18 walks and 11 errors from the Panthers (0-4) and the Golden Bears had their most pleasant afternoon of the young season.
The first game was more of a pitcher's duel and Christopher Elias (1-2) came out on top. He scattered six hits in a complete-game victory, strking out seven with no walks. Miles took advanatge of one of CAU's four errors to score the first run on a hustling infield single by Brandon Connor that scored
Jimmy Brown Jr. when the throw to first base went wide. Connor advanced to second on the throw and scored when Ernest Harris knocked him in. Brown Jr. then knocked in a run in the third and Tristin Davis added a RBI in the fourth for a 4-0 advantage. The Panthers got a two-run single from Deance' Wyatt in the fifth to cut the lead in half and the tying run came to the plate with two outs in the seventh, but Elias got out of both jams to deliver the victory.
The second game was a laugher as Miles put up crooked numbers over its last five at-bats. The Golden Bears pounded out 13 hits but were also aided by 10 walks, a hit batsmen and seven Panther errors, including two on one play by the same player. Aaron Williams had two doubles among his three hits with three RBI and runs scored. Keland Smith, Tyler Sampson and
Christopher Smith each had two RBI while Sampson and Conner each scored three times. Davis (1-0) struggled a bit with his control, allowing five walks, but gave up only five hits and one run while striking out three in six innings of work.
Miles is back in action on Wednesday when it hosts Alabama Huntsville in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
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