Alice Lloyd Baseball Eagles Open Conference Play Against Point Park University 

Pippa Passes, KY: The Alice Lloyd College Eagles baseball team played host to the Point Park Pioneers in the first River States Conference series of the season. The 3-game set was played on March 4^th-5th. When the dust had settled, the visitors had powered their way to a sweep.

March 4, 2023

GAME 1

Alice Lloyd-2; PPU-10

In the series opener, PPU did their damage with two big innings. The pitching was solid early by both clubs as the game remained scoreless until the fourth. In that inning, Point Park finally produced a flurry of runs, aided greatly by 2 errors and a double (5-0) Two innings later, Alice Lloyd would cut into the deficit, when, with two men on base, Noah Dingess (1B) smashed a triple to the wall to plate both (5-2). The Pioneers earned one of those back in the eighth when a double produced a single score (6-2). However, they put the game on ice in the final inning. In the ninth, 2 singles and an error brought 4 runs across the plate (10-2). The visitors would then seal the contest at the mound as they slammed the door shut.

The hosts registered 5 hits on the day with Dingess' triple and Caleb Horton's double going for extra-bases. Dingess provided 2 RBI's. On the mound, Chase Conley went six innings and suffered the tough loss. He allowed 6 hits and 4 earned runs, while walking 3. He also whiffed 9 batters.In relief, Alex Acey allowed 5 hits and 4 earned runs in 2.1 innings, while Caleb Justice allowed no runs in .2 innings. The victors produced 12 hits to ALC's 5 and committed 0 errors compared to ALC's 3.

GAME 2

Alice Lloyd-14; PPU-3

The Pippa Passes Eagles played well early, but were done in once more by a big late inning. The game started great for the home fans when, after a scoreless top of the first, they saw ALC's Dingess smoke a fastball over the left field fence to give the Caney Creek clubbers a lead (2-0). Unfortunately, in the very next inning, the Pioneers exploded with a solo blast and a 3-run shot. A single would then drive in the fourth run of the game (4-2). A single by the Pittsburg crew produced a run in the third (5-2), but TJay Mullins drove a sacrifice fly deep in the bottom half of the inning to earn that back (5-3). Unfortunately, the game changed in the fifth. In that inning, the city boys would bash 2 home runs and 2 doubles. When the flurry finally ended, PPU had recorded 8 runs (13-3). The scoring ended one inning later when a wild pitch brought in the final runner (14-3).

Alice Lloyd racked up 8 hits on the day, with Kizer Turner (SS), Dawson Beckett (DH), and Dingess each knocking 2. Dingess produced 2 RBI'S. Peyton Branham started the game for ALC and suffered the loss. He went 4 innings, allowing 7 runs on 11 hits. He whiffed 3 batters and walked 4. Ryan Cozart entered the final 3 innings and allowed 9 hits and 5 earned runs, with 2 Ks.

The hosts committed the only 2 errors of the day. The visitors won the hitting battle decisively, 20-8, including 4 homers.

March 5, 2023

Game 3

Alice Lloyd-8; PPU 19

The Pioneers finally subdued the Kentucky boys with a massive eighth inning. The Pippa Passes crew fell behind 1-0 in the first inning, but then came through in their first at-bat, when three well-placed singles paid off with 3 nice runs (3-1). In the third, another blast and 2 singles gave PPU a 6-run burst to propel them ahead (7-3), but the hometown boys made one of those up on a fielder's choice (7-4). In the bottom half of inning three, Cole Bishop (1B) delivered a big single that led to a 3-run inning. Now, the score stood tied at 7-7. However, Point Park responded immediately in the fourth when a big 3-run blast led to a windfall of 4 runs. PPU now led 11-7. ALC battled back and earned their eighth run of the game in the fifth when Mullins smacked a single to gain one (11-8). In the seventh, the Eagles had the bases loaded with no outs and were in a position to do major damage, but they could not get the one hit they needed. Then, in the eighth, the Pioneers blew the roof off. In that inning, they would smash 4 homers, including 2 by big Isaac Santana. The 8 runs would break the contest open (19-8). ALC actually loaded the bases once more in their last at-bat, but they left all runners stranded as the contest ended.

Alice Lloyd recorded 13 hits on the day, with Mullins and Horton both socking 3, and Cozart and Bishop smacking 2.  Bishop led the way with 4 RBIs. Beckett started on the mound and went in 3.2 innings. He allowed 9 hits, and 8 earned runs while striking out 2 batters and walking 3. Will Gladson, Isaiah Beckett, and Corey Jefferson each appeared in relief. PPU took the close-hitting battle, 16-13, but they smashed 6 long balls, including 3 by Santana. The victors committed 2 errors, while the Eagles had 3.