ALC/ UC Clermont Baseball split four-game series

Pippa Passes, KY: The Alice Lloyd College Eagles (15-12) baseball team returned to the diamond on March 20^th-21st as they returned home to face the University of Cincinnati-Clermont Cougars 11-8) in a four-game series. The hosts ruled the first day, but the visitors flipped the script on day two to earn a split for the series.

March 20th

Game 1

Alice Lloyd-4: UCC-3

The Pass rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win in their final-at-bat.

The Buckeye club jumped out quickly, using a pair of singles to leap ahead 1-0. Then,in the second, they would use a pair of singles and pair of sacrifice flies to score twice. Clermont now led 3-0.

In the meantime, ALC would be unable to answer, and the matchup entered the bottom of the fifth with the scoreboard unchanged.

In that late inning, the hosts finally answered. Jayden Huff (LF) led off with a double. A pair of batters later, the bases would be full with two away. After a walk delivered the first Eagle run, Carson Tate (2B) delivered a clutch shot down the first base line to knot the contest up, 3-3.

Then in the next inning, after ALC placed a runner on third with two outs. UC then threw a wild pitch which enabled John Lopez (RF) to race home and break the tie, 4-3.

Finally, in the top of the seventh, the Ohio squad would go down in order, and hand the victory to the Pippa Passes posse.

At the plate, Tate went 2-3 at the plate, and added 2 RBI's.

 Ryan Grubbs started on the mound. In four innings of work, he allowed 3 earned runs on 6 hits.  He stuck out 3 and walked 0.

Matthew Hebar went the next two innings, giving up 0 hits, walking 2, and whiffing 2.

 Anakin Floyd tossed the final inning and earned the win. He retired all three batters he faced, striking out the final one to end the contest.

The Eagles dropped the hitting battle 6-5 but committed 0 errors while their foes made a pair of costly miscues.

Game 2

Alice Lloyd-12, UCC-3

The guests scored first but 10 unanswered Eagle runs were just what the doctor ordered.

The northern squad would open the scoring in the first, aided by an error from the home club (1-0). Fortunately, they would soon make amends.

In the second, with a runner on second base, Caney Clubber Huff smacked a double to center to tie the match, 1-1. Then in the third, with the bases loaded, Cole Bishop (C) smacked a double to make the score 3-1. This was followed by another 2-run double from Huff and a run-producing single by Drake Cole (DH). Suddenly the score stood 6-1. The hosts were not finished.

In the fourth, with a pair of runners on the basepaths, Lopez came through with a single to left to bring them both home (8-1). The next batter was Huff, and he added to his great day by smashing a blast over the left field wall. Now the Pippa Passes posse led 10-1.

Although Clermont would come up with a pair of doubles in the fifth to earn a couple of runs, 10-3, the home club would make them up in the sixth when two hit batters and a walk filled the bags. Tate then sent two of them home with a well-placed single to left, 12-3.

Cincinnati placed a pair of runners on the bags in their final opportunity, but a groundball ended the festivities and handed the hosts the "W".

 At the plate, Huff and Bishop both went 3-4 with Huff providing 5 big RBI's on a homer and pair of doubles.

Quentin Williams started on the mound and pitched well to pick up the win. In 4.2 innings, he allowed just 5 hits and 2 earned runs with 2 whiffs and 3 walks.

Gibbs Cochran went 2.1 innings, to close, allowing 1 hit with 1 walk, and 2 K's.

The victors doubled up the hits, 12-6, and each team made 1 error.

March 21st

Game 1

 Alice Lloyd-1: UCC-2

 Saturday saw the Buckeye crew flip the script from the previous day with solid pitching

The guests dented the board in the second, as a pair of Cougar singles made the score 1-0.

In the meantime, ALC saw their bats kept in check. Happily, for the home fans, the blue and white rallied in the fifth.

In that at-bat, Diego Rodriguez (SS) singled and stole second. He then roared home on a clutch single from Tate to knot the contest up, 1-1.

In the seventh, Clermont singled and eventually saw the batter advance to third on an error. A deep fly ball allowed him to tag and score, breaking the tie, 2-1.

The Caney Crew now had to find a quick answer, but a trio of fly balls ended the show., handing the Ohio crew the "W".

 At the plate, Rodriguez had a pair of hits while Tate drove in the lone run.

Sunny Smith started and suffered the hard-luck loss. In 6.2 innings, he allowed 11 hits, 2 runs with just 1 earned run, 5 K's and 0 walks.

Floyd relieved and struck out the 1 batter he faced.

The Eagles were outhit, 11-5 and committed 1 crucial error.

Game 2

 Alice Lloyd-1: UCC-10

The visitors scored early and often to earn the series split.

In the second inning, the visiting squad layered a quintet of singles to roar ahead, 5-0.

 In the next inning, the Cougars used a single and double to plate a score, 6-0, and followed up in the very next inning with a pair of singles to produce the same result. The guest now led, 7-0.

In the bottom of the Eagle fourth, Rodriguez got all of a fast ball and knocked it over the left field fence for a run, 7-1. However, the rally would fizzle out.

From there, a trio of hits would enable UC to deliver a trio of runs to pull away 10-1. The hosts would leave a runner on base in the sixth and a pair in the seventh, but could not come up with the crucial hits when they needed it the most.

At the plate, Rodriguez had the solo homer that delivered the clubs only score while Kenneth Hernandez (SS) and Quentin Williams (DH) each singled.

Trenton Williams started on the mound and took the loss, allowing 7 hits and 6 runs (3 earned) in 2 innings. Thomas Forehand, Parker Williams, Braydon Norton, Niklas Kidd, and Austyn Collins all appeared in relief. Kidd whiffed 2 while Norton retired 1

The Cougars rapped 15 hits to just 3 for the Eagles. They also committed less errors, 2-1.