JACKSON, Tenn. -- Miles used a weekend of outstanding pitching and terrific hitting to sweep a three-game series from Lane at Hub City Field. The Golden Bears (17-13, 6-0 SIAC West) won 14-1 and 15-6 on Friday before downing the Dragons (0-22, 0-6) 11-0 in eight innings on Saturday.
Dylan Johnson,
William Donahoo, and
Andrew Datcher each picked up their fourth wins of the season while
Xavius Burden (nine hits, nine runs batted in) had a breakout series at the plate.
GAME 1: Miles 14, Lane 1
Johnson (4-3) was masterful on the mound, tossing a complete-game three-hitter. He also struck out a season-high 10 batters and was given a ton of run support as Miles took the opener.
The Golden Bears scored once in the first and four more times in the second to grab the lead. Lane gave up an eight-spot to put the game well out of reach. Run-scoring singles by
Reeves Brashear and
Jacob Bisharat sandwiched a sacrifice fly by Burden ahead of a grand slam by
Kolby Brannon - his second home run of the season - for a 13-0 advantage.
Johnson would allow a run in the bottom of the third but was on cruise control the rest of the way. He did not allow an extra-base hit and retired the final 12 batters of the game.
Brandon Connor had three hits, Brannon drove in five runs and
Jacob Bisharat knocked in three for the Golden Bears.
GAME 2: Miles 15, Lane 6
Burden, a preseason All-Region selection, had his best game of the season as Miles used a big second inning to remove any suspense from the second game of Friday's doubleheader.
Miles scored seven times in the second, highlighted by a two-run double by
Trevor Bates and a three-run blast by Burden - his first of the season. Burden went 4-for-4, reached base all five times, and added four RBI, finishing a triple short of the cycle. Bates went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs as the Golden Bears rapped out 13 hits. Donahoo (4-2) was touched for nine hits and six runs, with all the scoring coming after Miles had established the big lead. He also struck out five in the complete-game victory.
GAME 3: Miles 11, Lane 0
Freshmen
Andrew Datcher (4-0) and
Will Cantey combined on a two-hit shutout as the Golden Bears finished the series sweep with a run-rule victory on Saturday.Â
The top three hitters in the lineup - Brashear,
Ryan Bargery and Burden - were big catalysts for the offense, combining for nine hits, seven RBI and seven runs scored. Run-scoring singles by Burden and
Cody Hamilton gave Miles a 2-0 lead in the first. From there, it was a Killer B attack. Burden, Bargery, Brashear and
Justin Bisharat each had two RBI as Miles continued to pound Dragons pitching.
Pitching was no problem for the Golden Bears. Datcher, making his second career start, allowed just two hits over five innings while striking out four. Cantey was nearly perfect in his three innings of relief, walking one hitter that was retired on a double play and striking out three to earn his first career save.
UP NEXT: Miles will host West Georgia in a single game on Tuesday at Pleasant Grove High School. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
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