Box Score GAFFNEY, S.C. – The King University baseball team was back in action against conference Carolinas opponent Limestone College. Complete games from both pitchers did not go well in the end for the Tornado as they fell to the Saints 2-1 to drop game one of the three game series.
To start the game, King (17-18, 10-8 CC) went down in order as Jameson McGrane recorded two groundouts and a strikeout, heading to the bottom of the inning. Limestone (11-23, 7-12) got on the board in the bottom of the inning from a walk, single and a sacrifice fly into center field. After one inning of play, King trailed the Saints 1-0.
Preston Douglas posted a single in the top of the second but that was it for the Tornado heading into the bottom of the inning. In the home half, Heath Loyd struck out two and grounded out the other to move to the third. In the third inning, King went down in order and Limestone tallied a single but with three innings in the books, King trailed the Saints 1-0.
The Tornado posted a hit in the top of the fourth when Braden Cook led off with a single and eventually stole second. Ryan Whitt advanced Cook to third base on a fly out down the right field line but the inning ended there for the Tornado. Limestone led off the bottom of the fourth with a single as well but Loyd got the next three and heading to the fifth, King continued to trail Limestone 1-0.
King got on the board and tied the game up at one in the top of the fifth. Mark Hencken led off with a single up the middle and Jake Portugal moved him over off a ground out to the pitcher. Hencken advanced to third on a wild pitch and was brought home on a Josh Stephens infield single. Limestone answered in the home half with a double into right center from Michael Gonzalez and an Austin Marcellus single brought him home. With five innings gone, King trailed Limestone 2-1.
Jose Sola doubled in the top of the sixth for King's lone hit of the inning while Loyd continued to mow down the Limestone lineup. In the seventh, King went down one, two, three and the Saints posted a double but after seven innings, the Tornado trailed Limestone 2-1.
Both teams stranded a runner in the eighth inning and King came up in the ninth looking to tie the game up at one. Whitt recorded a single but McGrane finished the game with two strikeouts as King fell to Limestone 2-1 in game one of the three game series.
The Tornado were led by Stephens with one run batted in while Hencken scored the lone run for King. Loyd was credited with the tough loss after registering eight innings pitched, striking out seven. McGrane earns his second win of the season on the mound for the Saints.
King will be back in action on Saturday, April 4 as they finish the three game series with the Saints. First pitch for game one is scheduled for noon in Gaffney, S.C.
