Alice Lloyd Baseball travels to South Carolina, sweeps Bob Jones University

Columbia, SC: The Alice Lloyd College Eagles (20-12) baseball team ventured to the Palmetto state to battle the Bob Jones University Bruins (9-22) in a three-game series. The Eagles left the state on a high note, as they would earn the nice sweep.

April 11th

Game 1

Alice Lloyd-6; Bob Jones-5

Alice Lloyd came from behind in the final inning to take the opener.

ALC opened the game on solid footing when Diego Rodriguez (SS) doubled home the first score, 1-0. BJU then tied things in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly (1-1).

In the second, Cole Bishop (C) belted a homerun to put the Bluegrass boys ahead, 2-1. Then, in the top of the fourth, he repeated the process with another solo blast. This gave the visitors a 3-1 advantage.

Things remained the same until the bottom of inning seven. After seeing their first two batters go down harmlessly, the hosts would place a pair of runners on base. The next batter promptly cracked a pitch over the left field wall, and the South Carolina club led 4-3. 

Entering the ninth and trailing by a run, the guests loaded the bases with two outs. Carson Tate (2B) then came to bat and earned his dinner by stoking a clutch double that delivered his teammates home. Suddenly, ALC led 6-4.

In the bottom of the inning, Matthew Hebar (P) came to the mound hoping to hold the lead. Unfortunately, BJU loaded the bases themselves with no one out and looked to take the game. Fortunately, the next batter whiffed, which was followed by a fly ball for out number two. That fly did reduce the deficit to one (6-5) and left two men on base. In need of a stop, Hebar then stuck out the final batter to hand the win to the Kentucky boys.

At the plate, Bishop was huge, with 3 hits, 2 homers, 3 runs, and 2 RBI's. Tate provided 3 RBI's.

Cain Flynn started on the mound for the Eagles. In seven innings, he allowed 4 runs on 7 hits. He stuck out 2. Ryan Grubbs pitched the eighth allowing a pair of hits and 1 run. Hebar stuck out a pair of batters to earn the win.

The visitors were outhit 10-7, and committed the games lone error, but came through in the clutch to seal the deal.

  April 12^th

Game 2

Alice Lloyd-7; Bob Jones-4

For the second straight game, the Kentucky boys came back in the final inning to win.

The host club jumped out fast (2-0), courtesy of a 2-run homer. The visitors would earn those runs back in the third when a well-placed single from Cory Jefferson (DH) delivered the scores (2-2).

In the fourth, Bob Jones laced a big double that permitted a pair of Bruins to race home. This gave the Palmetto club a 4-2 cushion. It would last until the seventh.

In the Eagles final opportunity, Rodriguez doubled and Jefferson singled him home (4-3). Then, Bishop, Zach Morris (PH) and Colton Lovelace (3B) matched him with singles to bring home a trio of runs. Just like that, Alice Lloyd led, 7-4.

Down to their last chance, the Bruins saw their first two batters fly out. They then received new life when the next three men walked to load the bases. With the home crowd now standing, the Bruin opportunity went down in flames on a pop fly, preserving the win for the Bluegrass bunch.

At the plate for ALC, Gage Hensley (LF) smacked 3 hits while Rodriguez and Jefferson both provided 2 hits. Jefferson had 3RBI's and Lovelace added 2.

On the mound, Dawson Beckett went 6.2 innings to take the victory He allowed 7 hits and 4 earned runs with 6 strikeouts. Jacob Ayers came in and preserved the save, inducing the final batter to pop out.

The Eagles also took the hitting battle, 12-7, but hurt themselves with 2 errors.

Game 3

Alice Lloyd-6; Bob Jones-2

The Kentucky boys played well to earn the sweep.

The host club jumped out 1-0, courtesy of an Eagle error, then doubled their lead in the second, behind a single, 2-0.

In the third, the visitors would earn a run back on a Morris (1B) single, 2-1. Then, in the fourth, a double from Tate and single from Lovelace provided more good news on the scoreboard, giving the Bluegrass bunch a 3-2 advantage.

Morris hit a long sacrifice fly in the fifth to add an insurance run for Alice Lloyd, 4-2, before he decided he wanted more. In the seventh, he promptly belted a 2-run shot over the fence to give the Caney Creek clubbers a 6-2 cushion.

Down to their last chance, the Bruins had no comeback opportunity this game as they went down in order to ensure the visitors would have a happy drive back to Pippa Passes.

At the plate for ALC, Morris, Tate, and Lovelace each provided 2 hits while Morris did major damage with 4 RBI's.

On the mound, Trent Williams was on his game to earn the win. He went 7 innings allowing 6 hits and just 1 earned runs with 10 huge strikeouts.

The Eagles led in hits, 8-6, and overcame the games only 2 errors.