Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 by Benny Benton
MISENHEIMER, N.C. – Barton College freshman Andrew Webster blasted two home runs in the opening game of a doubleheader against Pfeiffer University on Saturday, but the Bulldogs blew a lead after both of them and then lost the game in the bottom of the seventh on a bases-loaded walk.
Pfeiffer took the momentum from that win and rolled over the Bulldogs in the second contest, pounding out 15 hits to claim a 14-3 victory in the rubber game of the series.
With the wins, the Falcons improved to 26-17 overall and maintained their spot in third place in Conference Carolinas at 13-7.
Despite the two losses Saturday, Barton's win on Friday over Pfeiffer, coupled with three losses by Belmont Abbey College this weekend, helped the Bulldogs (14-26, 7-11) clinch their first Conference Carolinas Tournament berth in head coach Josh Simmons' three-year tenure.
Barton had a great opportunity to clinch the series with Pfeiffer as well in game one thanks to the hot hitting of Webster, who went 7-for-12 with three home runs and eight RBI in the three-game set.
The third baseman and designated hitter from Pittsboro, N.C., gave the Bulldogs a 4-0 advantage in the fourth inning when he cranked a two-run homer to right following a single by Mitchell Wheeler.
Pfeiffer, which had managed just one hit in the first three innings off Barton starter Kyle Rufer, used a walk, a hit batsman, and two singles to score a pair of runs and set up a blast of its own, a three-run homer to left-center by Dalton Lindley that put the Falcons in front, 5-4.
However, Webster regained the lead for the Bulldogs in their very next at-bat. Calvin Hawke led off the fifth with a double to left-center, and two batters later Webster deposited a 1-0 pitch from Pfeiffer starter Keith Little over the fence in left-center to put Barton back up, 6-5.
The lead would not last long, though. Jon Gray led off the frame with a single to right off Barton reliever Mike Brienza, moved to third on another single to right off Barton's next reliever, Zach Breen, and scored on a groundout by Tyler Summers to tie the game at 6-all.
When Dillon Rudio led off the Barton seventh with a single up the middle off reliever Hunter Jobe (7-2), Hawke tried to move Rudio into scoring position with a bunt, but instead fouled it back to the catcher, Lindley, who doubled Rudio off of first base.
The Bulldogs brought in Duncan Everett, normally a starter, to relieve Breen in the bottom of the seventh, and Everett walked the leadoff hitter, Gray, who then stole second. Everett threw out Gray at third on McGraw's fielder's choice back to the mound, but then walked Summers on five pitches and Matt Wade on four.
Simmons stayed with Everett (2-5) instead of going back to the bullpen, but the junior right-hander did not have his command, and walked Dylan Goodman on four straight pitches to force home the winning run.
Besides Webster, Wheeler and Hawke both had two hits for Barton, while Lindley had two of Pfeiffer's seven hits in the contest.
The second game wasn't nearly as dramatic, although Barton did pull close at one point.
Pfeiffer jumped out to a quick 3-0 first-inning lead off Barton starter Ricky Jernigan (1-6), getting a double by McGraw, an RBI single by Anthony Allende, a double by Wade and a two-run single by Goodman.
Barton climbed to within one in the top of the third on an RBI single by Tyler Garrett and a fielder's choice groundout by Webster. However, the Falcons chased Jernigan before he could record an out in the fourth, scoring four more times to take an 8-2 lead.
Pfeiffer added two unearned runs in the fifth and tacked on four more runs in the eighth in making the game a rout. Six players had two hits each for the Falcons, with Gray and Summers both driving in three runs as well.
Webster went 3-for-4 with two RBI in a losing cause for the Bulldogs, with Hawke and Garrett both chipping in two hits. Junior Tyler Lequire (4-1) earned the win for Pfeiffer, scattering eight hits and four walks over eight innings, striking out four.
Barton will play a non-conference game at Catawba College on Tuesday, then return to conference play with a three-game set beginning Friday at King University.
