Seniors Propel Miles to Split with Benedict
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Box Score 2 Miles honored seniors
Ernest Harris Jr., Justin Barkley and
James Gardner between games of the Golden Bears' Saturday doubleheader with Benedict. The trio proceeded to entertain the Rickwood Field crowd once more as each played an intregal role in the team's split with the Tigers, taking the opener 9-3 before falling 7-4 in the nightcap.
Miles was cruising along in the opener behind the pitching of
Austin Pate. After first inning RBI from Keland Smith and
Aaron Williams staked the Golden Bears to a 2-0 lead, the sophomore hurler held the Tigers at bay for five innings, allowing just three hits and no runner even reached third base. But in the sixth, Benedict charged into the lead.
Two Miles misplays allowed Benedict to get on the board. Then, with one out, Andre Collum doubled to left driving in two runs. It gave the Tigers the lead and chased Pate.
Xavier Burden got the last two outs but Miles found itself six outs away from a loss.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Bartley and
Justin Langdale walked. Burden popped out but Gardner came through with a big double down the left field line to plate both runners to put the Golden Bears back on top, 4-3. But that was just the beginning of the offensive onslaught. Harris singled to bring home Gardner,
Tyler Sampson followed with a RBI double, which chased started Robert Troiano (4-4).
Jimmy Brown Jr. would double in two more runs against reliever Devon Lemon to punctuate a 7-run frame. Burden (4-2) would shut the Tigers down in the seventh to seal the victory.
The Golden Bears got an early start towards a sweep as Burden knocked in Langdale in the second for an early 1-0 advantage. But the lead disappeared in the second as starter
Christopher Elias (3-7) did not finish the inning. The Tigers scored three times to take the lead and Miles spent the rest of the afternoon playing catch up. Williams, who was 3-for-3 in game two, drove in a run in the third. Harris' RBI ground out in the sixth brought Miles to within 5-3. But the Tigers added two more in the seventh and Bartley's RBI single in the last at-bat was not enough to stave off defeat. The Golden Bears had plenty of opportunities to break through against Benedict pitcher Yaniel Delgado (5-3) but left 12 runners on base.
The two teams are scheduled to complete the series on Sunday with a single 9-inning game at Rickwood Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
