BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University baseball team squared off with one of the top teams in the southeast region on Monday afternoon, UNC Pembroke. The Tornado played well but dropped game one 7-5 before falling 5-1 in game two.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: UNC Pembroke 7, King 5; UNC Pembroke 5, King 1
LOCATION: King Baseball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 9-8, 6-4 Conference Carolinas; UNC Pembroke 15-6, 7-1 Conference Carolinas
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- UNC Pembroke grabbed the lead with a two-out single, followed by Bobby Dixon home run in the top of the first inning.
- The Braves extended the lead to 3-0 on a Spencer Faulkner sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.
- Backus started a one-out rally in the fourth before a two-out single from Renwick scored Backus.
- Ethan Hawkins then drove in one with a single through the left side.
- Thomas followed with a two-run double, giving King a 4-3 lead.
- Renwick made it a 5-3 King lead with a two-out single to center that scored Connor Andrews in the fifth inning.
- UNC Pembroke tied the score at five in the sixth inning with a double and single before a groundout scored the final run.
- A leadoff walk, followed by Wellington Guzman home run gave the Braves a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning.
- The Tornado couldn't get the offense going against relief pitcher Landen Smith who retired the Tornado in order in each of the final two innings to give UNC Pembroke the 7-5 win.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Trystan Kimmel (6-0) 7.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
Losing Pitcher: Nic Blankenship (0-1) 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Save: Landen Smith (3) 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- Both teams threatened in the first inning with a pair of runners, but neither team as able to score as Drew Moore got a strikeout for the Tornado and the Braves turned a double play and got a ground out.
- The Braves grabbed a 3-0 lead in the third inning as Ethan Ott drove in Faulkner who singled to start the inning.
- Andrew Mills drove in a pair with a single to left before the Braves loaded the bases.
- Moore then got a foul out and two strikeouts to end the inning.
- Backus started the Tornado half of the fourth inning with a single before being retired a fielder's choice.
- A Renwick single put runners on the corners as the Tornado stole a run with a double steal, cutting the deficit to 4-1.
- Mills got that run back for the Braves with a leadoff home run in the fifth.
- Trailing 5-1 in the seventh, Davis Hall ripped a pinch-hit single to start the inning before a Hyatt one-out single put two runners on.
- However, UNC Pembroke reliever Darren Bowen struck out the final two batters to give the Braves the 5-1 victory.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Branden Kunz (4-0) 5.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
Losing Pitcher: Drew Moore (4-1) 5.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
Save: Darren Bowen (7) 2.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Dixon led the way, going 4-for-7 with a home run and drove in two.
- Mills posted three hits on the day, including a home run and drove in three.
- Guzman and Faulkner drove in two each with Guzman registering three hits.
UP NEXT
- The series concludes on Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
