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DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University baseball nearly completed its fifth ninth inning or later comeback victory on the season, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but time fell short on the Cougars' comeback as Covenant College defeated Averett 8-7 on Senior Day on Saturday afternoon at Owen-Fulton Field.
 
Trailing 8-5, down to its final three outs, Averett (25-13, 19-11 USA South) cut its deficit down to two with senior Chatham Currie's RBI triple to left field that scored sophomore Hunter Ashworth.  The Cougars got within one thanks to senior Nick Ascue's RBI groundout to second. Moments later, senior J.T. Crowder walked to put the tying run on first. However, Covenant (15-23, 11-16 USA South) induced a game-ending strikeout to seal the victory.
 
Senior Kevin Alvarez knocked in his second and third runs of the game in the eighth when he banged a two-run single to left-center, cutting Averett's deficit to 8-4. Senior Nic Futrell tacked on another run for the Cougars with an RBI double to left that cut the Scots' advantage down to three after eight.
 
Covenant led off the game with a double from K.C. Simons that went through the left side to put a runner in scoring position. Simons moved to third on an Averett throwing error and scored on a passed ball on the next play to give the Scots a 1-0 lead after a half inning. Alvarez tied the game for Averett in its half of the first when he hit a sacrifice fly to right that brought home freshman Kyle Vidano.
 
However, Covenant answered back with six runs in the second to build its lead to six.  The Cougars cut their deficit down to five in the bottom of the second frame when senior J.T. Crowder's RBI groundout to third scored senior Nick Ascue, making the score 7-2. The Scots, though, added another run in the seventh off Will Cleland's RBI single up the middle to balloon their lead to six.
 
Offensively, Alvarez paced the Cougars, driving in three runs, while Ascue, Currie, Crowder and Futrell each chipped in with an RBI. Vidano and Futrell each banged out two hits for the Cougars on the afternoon.
 
Senior Greg Hess, junior Joshua Hatcher, sophomore Cody Johnson and junior Drew Evans combined for seven innings of relief, allowing only one hit, while striking out eight.
 
Prior to the game, Averett's 10 seniors were honored as part of senior day ceremonies.
 
Despite the loss, the team performed well this season, posting a 20-plus-win season for the 11th time in head coach Ed Fulton's time at Averett.