MISENHEIMER, N.C. — Averett University baseball dropped its final two games against Pfeiffer University in a Sunday doubleheader, falling 17-2 in seven innings and 13-5 to finish a three-game series.
In the first game, Averett (10-20, 4-8 USA South) led 1-0 following freshman
Caden Grider's RBI single in the second inning. Pfeiffer (11-12, 7-5 USA South) responded in the third with three runs, including two on single up the middle to surge ahead 3-1. The Cougars trimmed their deficit to 3-2 on an RBI fielder's choice by Grider in the fourth.
Things unraveled in the bottom of the fourth as Pfeiffer scored 14 runs on nine hits and one error, including four separate home runs.
Senior
Avery Spicer had two of Averett's five hits in the opener. Sophomore
Ethan Stephens added two innings of scoreless relief out of the bullpen with two strikeouts.
In Game 2, Pfeiffer took advantage of another big inning to gain control. Up 1-0 after a first inning sacrifice fly, the Falcons scored eight runs on seven hits and one error in the bottom of the third to go in front 9-0.
Averett tried to battle back with a big sixth inning of its own. Sophomore
Drew Rabon smacked a three-run homer to left field to close the deficit to 9-3.
Pfeiffer added three insurance runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth to take a 13-3 lead. Averett got an RBI double from freshman
Thomas Barker and a sacrifice fly from freshman
Zach Smith in the top of the ninth to get within 13-5, but it wasn't enough to rally from behind.
Freshmen
Preston Robbins, Cole McClain and
Kevin Zischke each had two hits for the Cougars.
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