Miles closes regular season with split at Benedict
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Miles has one of the top offensive teams in Division II baseball and continued that trend by scoring 23 runs in a doubleheader against Benedict (27-14, 8-9) Sunday afternoon. But a late-game meltdown in the opener forced the Golden Bears (29-15, 15-5 SIAC) into a split, dropping the opener 12-9 before taking a 14-7 decision in the nightcap.
Aaron Williams homered in both games and drove in six runs in the regular-season final.
GAME 1: Benedict 12, Miles 9
The Golden Bears scored the first seven runs of the game but allowed the first seven hitters to reach base in a six-run sixth inning to drop the opener.
Xavius Burden drove in two runs in a 3-run first, then Chase Williams' 2-run blast in the second helped Miles to a 6-0 advantage.
Down 7-0 after three innings, Benedict chipped away, cutting the deficit to 7-6 after a 4-run fifth. A 2-run single by
Keland Smith pushed the lead back to 9-6 but
Jacob Schuster (4-1), who had been unbeatable in SIAC play this season, collapsed in the sixth with Shomarii Thomas' 2-run single putting the Tigers on top for good. Miles brough the tying run to the plate in the seventh but
Ryan Bargery grounded into a fielder's choice to end the game.
Chase Williams was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBI while Smith added two hits.
GAME 2: Miles 14, Benedict 7
Smith hit a 2-run homer in the first and Chase Williams added a 2-run blast in the fourth as Miles bounced back to gain a split with the Tigers. Tied at 3 going into the third, the Golden Bears posted 4-run frames in the third and fourth innings to take control.
Jimmy Brown, Jr. and
Damion Williams had big 2-run hits in the third inning as the Golden Bears took the lead for good. Chase Williams' homer and
Darione Adkison's RBI double highlighted the fourth inning barrage to give Miles a big cushion. Benedict would score four times in the bottom of the fourth, helped by a 3-run homer by Thomas. But Miles tacked on two runs in the fifth and one in the seventh to close out the victory for
James Gardner (2-0), who allowed just two hits in 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Chase Williams,
Damion Williams, Adkison and Smith each had two hits for the Golden Bears.
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