2014 SIAC Baseball Championships - Day Two Recap

OZARK, Alabama — Day Two of the 2014 SIAC Baseball Championship saw two elimination games in the morning and two afternoon games in the tournament's winner's bracket.

GM 8:  Stillman blanks Miles 6-0
The Stillman Tigers faced the Miles Golden Bears in the second round of the 2014 SIAC Baseball Championship, with the Tigers capturing a 6-0 victory.

The Tigers opened the scoring the bottom of the first when Paul Winterbottom scored on a Fernando Tanaka groundout.  In the second inning, Cameron Stallings singled to score Jose Alicea.  In the fifth inning, Stillman added two runs, one on an RBI single and the other on a sacrifice fly.

Stillman would get two more runs in the bottom of the eighth:  first on a Winterbottom double that scored Dunn before Winterbottom scored on a stolen base and an errant throw.

Tiger senior starter Ashton Johnson worked nine innings, striking out six, walking three and allowing only one hit – a single to Austin Freeman.  Miles pitcher Austin Pate threw eight innings allowing four earned runs and a walk while striking out six.

Stillman will meet Tuskegee at 3 pm in the deciding game of the winner's bracket.

GM 7:  Kentucky State Rally Falls Short as Thorobreds Fall to Tuskegee, 5-2
A day after beating top-seeded Albany State in the opening round of the 2014 SIAC Baseball Championship, a Thorobred rally fell short as the Tuskegee Golden Tigers won, 5-2, Thursday afternoon at Historic Eagle Stadium.

Tuskegee plated a run in each the first, second and sixth innings before scoring twice in the bottom of the eighth frame.  In the inning, Travis Hylton singled before Samuel Rodney walked.  Both runners scored when Cameron Duncan singled later in the inning.  The Thorobreds mustered three team hits against Tuskegee but reached base 10 times via walks Thursday's contest.

Junior catcher Marshall Howard went 2-for-2 and scored two runs on Thursday including one in the top of the ninth inning as the Thorobreds tried to come back from a 5-1 deficit. After Howard drew a walk and moved to second when Justin Cain walked, Kyle Clark hit a single to bring Howard home.

Kentucky State had kept things close throughout the game and entered the bottom of the eighth inning behind, 3-1. After loading the bases, Tuskegee's Cameron Duncan hit a clutch 2-RBI single to push the TU lead to, 5-1.

Cameron Summers pitched well for the Golden Tigers, allowing just one hit, but was pulled in the fourth inning after surrendering his fourth walk of the game. Relief pitcher Stanley Smith (1-0) earned the victory after taking over for Summers and pitching 3.0 innings. Smith allowed just one hit and no runs.

Kentucky State starter AJ Garza-Hall (1-7) was saddled with the loss after 6.0 innings on the mound. Garza-Hall allowed seven hits, surrendered four walks and struck out five Golden Tiger batters.

GM 6:  Paine Lions Stave Off Elimination with Ninth-Inning Heroics
The Paine College Lions avoided elimination as they defeated the Claflin Panthers 5-4 in game six of the 2014 SIAC Baseball Championship Thursday at Eagle Stadium in Ozark, Alabama.

Trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth, pinch runner Cordale Duncan scored when Jonathan Richey doubled to left field.  Two batters later, Paine faced two outs and runners on first and third; Demonta Streeter hit a shot to left center field to score Jonathan Richey for the game-winning run.

Paine opened the scoring in the game in the bottom of the first inning.  Claflin scored their first run of the contest in the top of the fourth inning before the Lions answered in the bottom of the frame.  Claflin then added two runs in the top of the sixth to build a 3-2 lead.  After Paine scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers added a run in the top of the eighth inning to give Claflin a 4-3 advantage going into the final inning.

Paine was guided by Avery Wilson and Streeter, each going 3-for-5 in the game.  Richey and Jon-Tyler Shaw each had two hits in the game.  Thomas Clay paced Claflin with three hits while Johnny Stevenson and Wendell Ferguson both finished with two hits.

Paine's Cornelius Reed got the win in relief, pitching two innings walking three.  Paine starter Adam Martin threw six innings walking five and striking out one before leaving the game.  For Claflin, Darius Boykins took the loss, allow two hits against three batters faced.  Panther starter Anthony Ford pitched 8.1 innings striking out four and walking three.

Paine advances to face the loser of the Tuskegee / Kentucky State contest.

GM 5:  Albany State Remains Alive with 12-5 win over Benedict
The Albany State Golden Rams kept their championship hopes alive with a 12-5 in the first elimination game of the day over the Benedict Tigers.

After plating a run in the top of the second inning, the Rams (29-16) plated five runs in the top of the third, using three bases loaded situations to push runs across.  The Rams also scored in the top of the third, making the score 7-0.

Benedict scored two runs in the bottom of the inning, cutting the deficit to five runs.  Albany State added a run in the fifth, giving the Rams an 8-2 advantage.

Over the final three innings, Albany State outscored Benedict, 4-3, for the final division.

The Tigers out hit the Rams 14-9, but fell victim to four errors in the game.

Rams pitcher Andrew Bacon (7-4) earned the complete game victory, striking out four and walking two over nine innings.  Five Benedict pitchers combined to strike out four in the game.

Hector Carrasquillo went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two runs driven in for the Rams while Ryan Latner finished 2-for-5 with a run scored.  Lashante Grimes led Benedict with three hits and a run while four other Tigers registered two hits each.

Friday's Baseball Tournament Pairings:
9 am - Kentucky State vs. Paine
12 pm - Miles vs. Albany State
3 pm - Tuskegee vs. Stillman
6 pm - Winner of MC/ASU versus Winner of KSU/PC

COURTESY THESIAC.COM