BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Millsaps baseball team split a pair of games in the SAA Championship Weekend at Striplin Field on Friday. The Majors opened the day with a thrilling 3-2 victory over No. 2 seed Centre before falling to No. 3 seed Berry, 12-2 in the SAA Championship Semifinal.
It was the final games for graduates
Carter Jones,
Chris Hart and
Jackson Russo along with seniors
Austin Arceneaux,
Jack Beckham,
Brady Davis,
Melvindrick Johnson,
Joshua Laurent,
Sam Pitre and
Brian Westfall.
Game 1 vs. Centre: 3-2, W
Sophomore
Nick Tarantino tallied a career-high 11 strikeouts and shut out the Colonels in 5.2 innings of relief. He yielded zero hits and only surrendered three walks. Freshman
Stewart Bonnecaze started the first 3.1 innings allowing just two earned runs, three hits and three walks, while striking out two batters.
Junior
David Abbadessa batted a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base. Pitre finished 3-for-4 with a walk and pair of steals. Hart (one run scored) provided a crucial two-run homer to keep the season alive in the ninth.
Arceneaux recorded an impressive 2-for-3 outing to go along with two walks. Laurent added two hits.
Pitre began the game with a one-out single and advanced to second on a throwing error. However, Centre held early.
Centre carried a ball deep to right-center field, but Pelle made a great catch running into the wall. The Colonels eventually broke through with a solo homer to right field in the bottom of the second inning.
In the third, the Majors answered as Abbadessa rounded the bases with a single, balk, steal of third and reached home courtesy of a junior
Case Page sacrifice fly.
The strong defense continued for the Majors as Arceneaux caught the lead runner at second trying to steal when freshman
EJ Ousley applied the tag. Only one pitch later saw Bonnecaze add a strikeout and later ended the third with a force out at first base.
Laurent singled and the Majors preceded to load the bases with a pair of walks with two outs in the fourth. Pitre rocketed a shot to the edge of the infield, but barely was beat at first on a bang-bang play.
Centre would claim the next run and a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the fourth after loading the bases with one out. A bases-loaded hit by pitch would provide the go-ahead tally.
Tarantino would enter in relief and help escape the jam with back-to-back crucial strikeouts. The Majors would precede by putting runners on the corners in the fifth, but a double play ended the opportunity.
After a one out walk, Abbedessa made a diving stop to prevent the runner from reaching third. The inning ended two batters later following the solid defensive effort.
Tarantino would truly begin to heat up by striking out the side – all looking – in the seventh.
In the top of the eighth, Centre's second baseman made an impressive jump throw to record another double play and end the opportunity.
Tarantino continued to burn bright by only using 11 pitches to add two more strikeouts and a ground out in the bottom of the inning.
Needing to find an answer trailing 2-1 in the elimination game, Abbadessa started the ninth with a hit. Moments later Hart put the Majors ahead 3-2 by crushing the ball over the right field fence.
Looking to close out the contest, Tarantino recorded the final three outs with two more strikeouts and a pop up he caught himself. He let out a roar of elation after his 11th strikeout proved enough to halt the Colonels.
Game 2: 12-2 (7 inn.), L
The No. 3 seed Berry Vikings were too tough in the second elimination game of the day, which doubled as the SAA Championship Semifinal.
Freshman
Ryan Laiche did well in relief only allowing three earned runs in 3.2 innings, while striking out three batters.
Arceneaux (one RBI) and Ousley provided the lone hits against an effective Berry pitching staff. Both Hart (two walks) and Pitre (one walk) scored for the Majors.
The Vikings jumped out to a 7-0 advantage after three innings.
Millsaps would generate a response with two runs in the fourth. Hart and Pitre both walked, while Page was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Arceneaux singled to left field to plate Hart. Sophomore
Bradley Pelle hit into a double play but brought home the Majors' second run in Pitre.
Berry added five runs combined over the sixth and seventh innings to put the run-rule in play, ending a hard-fought season for the Majors.
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