BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University baseball team rallied from an early 4-0 deficit Thursday afternoon to beat Chowan University 7-5, with King scoring all their runs in the middle three innings, including a three-run fourth.
THE BASICS:
FINAL SCORE: King 7, Chowan 5
LOCATION: King Baseball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 13-26, 3-20 Conference Carolinas; Chowan 6-28, 4-21 Conference Carolinas
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Ethan Hawkins was 2-for-5, making him the lone Tornado to record multiple hits. One of those was an RBI triple in the fifth that tied the game at four.
- Rohde Kirkland threw six innings for King, allowing four earned runs on nine hits with four strikeouts, with Quentin Ingram picking up the save.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After both teams went down in order in the first, the Hawks scored four runs on three hits to take an early 4-0 lead.
- It would take until the fourth inning for King to get their first hit, with it being a double by Junior Renwick that allowed Davis Hall to score.
- The next batter was Preston Steele, who singled to center field to bring Renwick home. Steele would then steal second base before scoring on a Wes Bonney single to right field, making the score 4-3.
- Patrick Corley started the fifth with a single up the middle, scoring on Hawkins' RBI triple to left center field. Hawkins wouldn't have to wait long to score, as Hall grounded out on the second pitch of his at-bat, driving in what would turn out to be the game-winning run.
- The Tornado would maintain the 5-4 lead into the sixth, where they scored a pair of insurance runs, including an RBI double by Nick Valentin and an RBI single by Hawkins to stretch the lead to 7-4.
- Chowan was able to scratch across a run in the top of the eighth, and would get the game-tying run on base in the ninth before Ingram slammed the door shut, inducing a game-ending groundout to first base to close the game.
FOR THE FOES
- Aidan Feather, Geomar Santana, Warren Bailey and Rowan Hudson all had two hits for Chowan, with Santana picking up an RBI.
- Ty Johnson was 1-for-4, with two RBI on the day.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Rohde Kirkland (4-2)
Losing Pitcher: Shane Rademacher (1-8)
Save: Quentin Ingram (1)
UP NEXT
- The two teams will close their series Friday with a doubleheader. Game one is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start. In between games, the Tornado will honor their seniors.
