BRISTOL, Tenn. — The King University baseball team used a two-run home run from
Jack Flanagan and a complete game from
Drew Moore to power their way to a 7-4 win in the first game of a Conference Carolinas doubleheader Saturday before falling 6-0 in the second game, splitting their second doubleheader in as many weeks.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 7, Belmont Abbey 4; Belmont Abbey 6, King 0
LOCATION: King Baseball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 6-4, 3-2 Conference Carolinas; Belmont Abbey 11-4, 3-2 Conference Carolinas
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
- Robbie Scott went 3-for-5 at the plate, with a double and three walks.
- Flanagan's home run was only hit of the day, finishing 1-for-4 with two RBI.
- Moore turned in his second complete game of the season, allowing four runs on four hits with a season-high 10 strikeouts.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- King drew first blood, as they loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the first before plating a run on a wild pitch.
- Jarrett Backus picked up an RBI in the second, hitting a two-out single into right field to bring Deric Graham in to score, while Zachary Thomas advanced to third. A sharp lineout to second base would end the inning.
- In the bottom of the third, Scott reached base on an error by the shortstop, then stole second base, but the throw went into the outfield, allowing Scott to score and giving King a 3-0 lead.
- The Tornado piled on the runs in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs. Scott started things with a one-out double into right field, setting up Flanagan to hit his home run over the right field fence.
- Davis Hall then singled to center field before Graham singled through the left side, putting two runners on for Chase Hilliard, who delivered a single to score Hall and put King up 6-0.
- The Tornado added another run when Thomas singled into left field, allowing Graham to score from second base.
- Belmont Abbey scored three runs in the sixth, all of which came on a home run from Adam Overcash, though Moore was able to retire the final batter of the inning.
- The Crusaders scored again in the seventh, but Moore recorded a clutch strikeout to end the game.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Drew Moore (3-0) 7.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 10 SO
Losing Pitcher: Jason While (3-2) 4.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- The game was scoreless until the fourth, when the Crusaders scored three times.
- King had a scoring chance in the bottom of the fourth, when Backus led off the inning with a single. He stole second before Scott drew a four-pitch walk, putting two on. The Crusaders got a strikeout and a fly out to strand the runners.
- The Tornado got runners on base with two outs in the sixth, as Junior Renwick singled before Scott worked a walk, forcing a pitching change for the Crusaders, who escaped the inning on a groundout to first base.
- In the seventh, Hall led off with a single to center before Connor Andrews doubled to left center field, though once again the Crusaders were able to get out of the jam, holding the Tornado off the scoreboard.
- King got a base runner in the eighth before going down in order in the ninth to close out the game.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Alex Sniffen (4-0) 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 SO
Losing Pitcher: Jakob Brown (1-1) 6.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 8 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Sean Johnson was 2-of-6 on the day, with a solo home run and a double along with three walks.
- Adam Overcash had the other home run for the Crusaders, driving in four runs while going 2-for-6 at the plate.
UP NEXT
- King will be back in action Friday afternoon when they host Southern Wesleyan for a three-game series starting at 2:30 p.m.
