Box Score BRISTOL, Tenn. – It looked as though the King University baseball Conference Carolinas series final was going to go the same as the opener did on Friday against North Greenville University. The Crusaders scored two runs in the first inning, but the Tornado pitching staff held the deficit there until King struck in the eighth inning. Ryan Whitt evened the score with a ground ball and Austin Dayton gave King the 3-2 lead with an RBI double before Nathan Helke closed the game to give King the win.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 3, North Greenville 2
LOCATION: King Baseball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 10-17, 3-9 Conference Carolinas; North Greenville 20-9, 11-1 Conference Carolinas
TIME OF GAME: 2:43
King Starting Lineup
1. Mark Hencken – C
2. Preston Douglas – RF
3. Ryan Whitt – LF
4. Dylan Sligh – 1B
5. Austin Dayton – 3B
6. Anthony Hunt – DH
7. Tyler Bailey – 2B
8. Josh Stephens – CF
9. Joe Ganger – SS
Starting Pitcher: RHP Matt Jackson
North Greenville Starting Lineup
1. Andrew Frazier – SS
2. Jae Roberts – RF
3. David Houser – C
4. Nathaniel Maggio – 1B
5. Foley George – 3B
6. Tony Davila – DH
7. Andrew Meadows – LF
8. Mitchell Painter – CF
9. Eric Gilber – 2B
Starting Pitcher: RHP Zack Kamerman
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- As he has done this season, Dayton came up with a clutch hit for King as he laced a double that scored one, giving King a 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth.
- Helke earned his seventh save of the season, working around one base running in the bottom of the ninth.
- Jackson threw a solid six and one-thirds innings where he allowed only the two runs on seven hits and struck out four.
- Grant Boyd bridged the gap to Helke, striking out one and giving up one hit in one and two-thirds innings. He stranded the bases loaded in the seventh inning, inducing back-to-back groundouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Just as they did on Friday, the Crusaders scored early runs. George drove in two with a double to right center with one out in the top of the first, putting the Crusaders on top.
- Kamerman and reliever Matt Laruens kept the Tornado hitters off balance, not allowing a hit until the sixth inning.
- However, the Tornado scratched a run across in the fourth inning when Sligh reached on a dropped fly ball. He then advanced to third before scoring in a Hunt groundout, cutting the King deficit in half.
- After the first inning, Jackson settled in, only allowing five hits the rest of his outing.
- North Greenville got to the bullpen in the seventh and loaded the bases with one out. However, Boyd induced a groundball back to the mound to cut down a run at the plate and then got another groundout to end the threat.
- In the eighth, the Crusaders brought in their closer, John Leopard and Hencken greeted him with a single through the right side.
- Douglas followed with a single through the left side, putting runners on the corners for Whitt.
- Whitt hit a groundball that scored Hencken, evening the score.
- Following a walk, Dayton laced a double to left field, scoring Whitt, but the Crusaders cut the second run down at the plate.
- Leopard got the final out of the inning as the Tornado brought in their closer, Helke for the bottom of the ninth.
- Helke hit the first batter he faced, but he then got a strikeout and a pop out before inducing a groundout to give King the 3-2 victory.
FOR THE FOES
- George led the Crusaders, going 2-for-5 with two runs batted in.
- Roberts also registered a pair of hits for North Greenville.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Boyd (2-1) 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Save: Helke (7) 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO
Losing Pitcher: John Leopard (0-2) 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
UP NEXT
- The Tornado return to the diamond on Tuesday when they travel to take on Tusculum College. First pitch from Greeneville, Tenn. is slated for 6:00 p.m.
- North Greenville stays on the road to face Brevard College on Tuesday afternoon.
