Alice Lloyd Baseball takes series from IUPU-Columbus

Pippa Passes, Ky: On March 17^th-18^th, the Alice Lloyd College Eagles baseball team faced the IUPU-Columbus Crimson Pride in a three-game series. When the dust had settled, the hosts had earned two of three to take the match.

Game 1

ALC-11; IUPUC-6

 In the opening inning, ALC struck quickly when TJay Mullins (LF) smacked a homer over the center field fence (1-0). They added a pair in the next inning, with the big hit being a double by Kyle Johnson (CF), to pull ahead 3-0.

In the third, the Crimson Pride used a single and double to earn a trio of scores and tie the contest at 3-3 only to see the hosts pull away in the next inning.

In the fourth, doubles from Cole Bishop (C) and Caleb Justice (3B), plus a pair of singles, led to a windfall of four runs (7-3).

Then, in the sixth inning, the Caney Creek clubbers repeated the process. After a pair of walks and an error allowed one run to scamper home, Mullins deliver the goods once more by blasting his second homer of the day. The home team now led 11-3.

The Hoosier team managed to score a single run in each of the remaining innings to close out the contest, but the Eagles would take the 11-6 decision.

For the day, ALC recorded 15 hits, with Mullins, Carson Tate (SS) and Joey Johnson (RF) all achieving 3. Bishop had 2 doubles and Kyle Johnson added a pair of singles.

 On the mound, Dawson Beckett started and took the win.  In seven innings, he gave up 9 hits with 4 earned runs. He struck out 4 and walked 1.

Cain Flynn and Sunny Smith each tossed an inning. Both whiffed 2 batters.

In the other dugout, the Crimson Pride smacked 11 hits. They did have fewer errors, 3-2, but the home team swiped 3 bases.

Game 2

 ALC-3; IUPUC-1

The second contest was a pitcher duel, but ALC held on for the win.

The Hoosier squad grabbed the early lead on a walk, steal and sacrifice fly (1-0). Fortunately, Alice Lloyd would respond when Ryan Cozart (2B) singled, then scored on a Beckett (1B) double (1-1).

Both pitchers then were dominate for the next three innings as neither club could produce a hit. Finally, in the fifth, the Eagles delivered.

In the bottom of the inning, Justice singled then advanced on a walk. Later, a sacrifice fly, walk, and crucial error permitted two Eagles to race home. Suddenly, the hosts led 3-1.

IU Columbus put a pair of runners on in the sixth, but a pop up ended the threat. Then, they went down in order in the seventh to hand the hosts the victory.

For the day, both squads only recorded 3 hits, with Justice, Beckett and Cozart delivering those. Carson Tate (2B) and Cozart each had RBI's.

Gibbs Cochran took the mound and went the distance. He gave up just 3 hits and 1 earned runs with 4 strikeouts and 1 walk in his best performance to date.

The visitors committed the only 2 errors of the day.

Game 3

ALC-6; IUPUC- 10

IUC jumped out quickly and held on to earn the victory.

The visitors struck swiftly, using a pair of singles and a fielder's choice to score twice (2-0).

ALC sliced the deficit in half in the second when a single from Justice drove in the score (2-1).

Nothing changed until the fourth when the Crimson Pride spread out a double and pair of singles to produce four big runs. Now, the visitors led 6-1.

Aaron Rothballe (1B) tried to give the Eagles a lift in the bottom of the inning when he smashed a homerun (6-2). However, the rally fizzled out.

In the fifth, IU Columbus brought in another score with a single to ease back ahead, 7-2. They then added a pair of runs in the seventh with a homer to left field. Now the scoreboard read 9-2.

ALC had their best inning in the bottom of the seventh. In that segment, with a runner on base, Bishop drove a homerun to left center (9-4). Then, RBI singles by Joey Johnson and Cozart helped chip away even more into the deficit (9-6).

The Hoosier squad plated an important insurance run in the eighth (10-6) and then put the home squad down. ALC then went out in order in the ninth, and handed the visitors the win.

For the day, Justice and Rothballe both recorded 2 hits. Bishop led with 2 RBI's.

On the mound, Trenton Williams suffered the loss. He allowed 4 hits and 5 earned runs. He was followed in order by Jacob Ayers and Flynn, who combined to give up 5 hits and 4 runs in 4.1 innings. Layne Masters and Smith both tossed .2 innings and put down all six batters they faced.

ALC won the hitting battle 10-9 and had 6 extra-base hits compared to Columbus with 2. Unfortunately, 4 crucial errors proved detrimental to ALC's chances.