DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University baseball defeated Alma College 3-2 in Game 1 of the doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon. In the second game, the teams were tied 8-8 and the game was called due to darkness on Owen-Fulton Field.
In Game 1, Averett (2-1-1) was tied up 2-2 with Alma (0-1-1) going into the bottom of the seventh inning. With two outs, it was up to sophomore
Kevin Zischke to provide the spark that his team needed. He came through with a single up the middle to get a runner on board for the Cougars. Senior
Kyle Wilson then drew a crucial walk to advance Zischke to second. Sophomore
Gavin Colwell came in to pinch hit. After battling with the pitcher, he cracked a screaming double into the left field warning track to send Zischke home for the walk off win.
Alma struck first in game 1 to lead 1-0 after Ethan Krafft sent his teammate home by a sac fly to right field.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, freshman
Chris Byrd tied the game up 1-1, hitting a single through the left side to send home fellow Cougar Brant Brophy from second base.
Averett took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Sophomore
Cole McLain was walked, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Zischke sent him home with a double down the left field line.
Alma tied the game up in the top of the sixth 2-2 after Mitch Foley advanced to third on a sac bunt, then scored on a balk.
In Game 2, Alma took the lead in the top of the first after a 3-run blast to left field to put them up 3-0.
Averett chipped away at the lead and in the bottom of the fourth, Colwell belted a homerun down the left field line to give them a 4-3 lead.
The two teams kept trading off for the lead throughout the contest.
After giving up a bases loaded hit by pitch to be down 8-7 in the top of the eighth inning, the Cougars answered back in the bottom half of the inning after a single into right field from sophomore
Caden Grider to send home junior
Chase Davis.
The game resulted in an 8-8 tie after the game was cut short at the end of the eighth inning due to darkness.
The Cougars are back in action on Feb. 21 at 3 p.m. when they host former USA South Foe Greensboro College.
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