Lookout Mountain, Georgia – The Wittenberg University Baseball team took an early lead and fended off a ninth-inning rally by Covenant (GA) to post a 13-10 victory over the Scots in Georgia. The Tigers scored in just four of the nine innings, but they put up crooked numbers in three of those innings, which included a five-spot in the top of the fourth. The win pushes the Tigers' non-conference record to 4-1 on the young season.
How The Tigers Scored
The Tigers struck first for three runs in the top of the first inning, with junior Ryan Probst driving in the first run on a single to short, before classmate Patrick Kenny drove in two more on a single up the middle that plated the sophomore tandem of Jack Siefert and Jack Hollinshead.
Covenant momentarily took a 4-3 lead after scoring four runs in the bottom of the third inning, but the Tigers quickly stuck back with five runs in the top of the fourth to rebuild their cushion. Hollishead drove in the first run on a fielder's choice to short, while Siefert laced a double to left field in the next at bat to bring home senior Matt Baker. Probst then stepped to the plate and drove home two more on a double to left, while Kenny plated the final run of the inning on a RBI single to left.
The Scots got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fourth, but after a four spot in the seventh and another run in the eighth, the Tigers were able to compile enough runs to fend off Covenant's five-run ninth inning. The Tigers got an unconventional run to spark the seventh-inning rally as sophomore Parker Thompson scored from third following a passed ball after a Baker strikeout. Hollinshead and Probst also drove home runs in the seventh on RBI singles, while Siefert was credited with the final RBI after drawing a bases-loaded walk. Sophomore Tanner Boros, who entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth, scored the Tigers' final run in the eighth on a fielder's choice to short off the bat of senior Greg Vanerstrom.
Wittenberg used five different pitches over the course of the game, with sophomore right-hander Rusty Hayhurst getting the start and allowing five earned runs on three hits over the first 3.1 innings of action. Senior right-hander Brandon Beegle took over in the bottom of the fourth and eventually got the win after striking out six, issuing just one walk and allowing only one hit over 4.2 innings of work, while junior right-hander Adam Mays was credited with the save after striking out the final two batters of the game.
Three different Tigers logged two or more hits on the day, led by Probst going 3-for-5 at the plate with four RBI and one run scored.
Up Next
The Tigers will close out their Spring Break trip in the southern US this afternoon (3/6) with a doubleheader at Maryville (TN). First pitch of game one is slated for 1:00 p.m., with game two set to begin at approximately 4:00 p.m.