Alice Lloyd Baseball rallies to take series final game over West Virginia Tech University

Beckley, WV: On March 22nd-23rd, the Alice Lloyd College Eagles baseball team journeyed to the Mountaineer state to battle the West Virginia Tech University Golden Bears in a three-game set. The hosts would play well and take the first two games, only to watch the Eagles return from a big deficit to earn the series finale.

WVT sees their record move to 18-15 (7-8 RSC), while ALC's record now stands at 16-21 (3-12 RSC).

Game 1

WVT-9; ALC-2

The Eagles earned the game's first run when TJay Mullins (LF) drove a double to plate a run (1-0). The hosts would soon answer.

In the third (1-0), the Beckley squad ran the gauntlet as they parlayed a single, double, triple, and homerun to produce six big runs and vault ahead, 6-1.

Things remained the same until the ALC seventh. In that at-bat, with a runner on third, Cole Bishop (C) drove a long sacrifice fly to deliver the score (6-2).

Unfortunately, WVT would make that up and more in the eighth when they rode a single, fielder's choice and a wild pitch to bag a trio of runs. The 9-2 score would end the contest.

For the day, ALC recorded 5 hits, with Mullins, Joey Johnson (RF), and Kyle Johnson (CF) all rapping doubles. Mullins and Bishop provided the RBI's.

In the other dugout, OCU smacked 12 hits with a homer, triple and double.

 On the mound, Gibbs Cochran started and suffered the loss. He allowed 10 hits and 6 earned runs with 2 strikeouts and 1 walk in six innings of action.

In relief, Cain Flynn and Tyler Branham tossed the final two innings, with Flynn giving up 2 hits and 3 runs in 1.1 inning. Branham retired both batters he faced.

Both squads had 2 errors.  

Game 2

WVT-18; ALC-0

 Tech dominated the second contest to take the shutout win.

In the huge first inning, the West Virginia club used a double and two singles to drive home five runs (5-0). They added a score in the second to move ahead 6-0.

More was soon to come, as in the fourth, two singles and a two-run blast gave West Virginia five runs (11-0).

Tech followed that up in the fifth with a single, double, and second two-run blast to gain six more scores (17-0). They added the final score in the sixth on a grounder to short (18-0).

ALC was stymied all game long on offense as catcher Wyatt Hobgood's double was their lone contest hit.

Jacob Ayers had a rough day on the mound, as he faced 13 batters and allowed 7 hits and 6 runs. Chase Conley gave up 8 hits and 8 runs to the 18 men he faced.

Josiah Griswold and Matthew Hebar closed the day, allowing 6 hits and 4 runs. Conley recorded his squad's lone strikeout.

The victors won the hitting battle 21-1, and both clubs committed 2 errors.

Game 3

WVT-10; ALC-11

The Kentucky boys came back from their blowout loss to win a thriller in the series-ending game.

Alice Lloyd got out to a nice start. Mullins unloaded on a fastball with a man on base and drove it over the center field wall (2-0). Unfortunately, Tech had an answer.

In the bottom of the inning, the city boys ran wild, using three singles, a double, and a wild pitch to plate eight massive runs. Their lead was 8-2.

In their very next at-bat, ALC did not drag their heads and began to chip into the deficit. With a man on base, Grover Maynard (RF) connected for a two-run shot to center (8-4). Later, with another man on base, Carson Tate (SS) swung for the fence and drove one out to left field. Now, the score read 8-6.

In the third, Maynard returned, lacing a single to right to bring home a buddy (8-7). Then, in the fourth, Tech gifted the Pippa Passes posse a pair of runs courtesy of two errors. Remarkably, the Bluegrass boys now led 9-8.

In the bottom of the inning, West Virginia would tie things with a double (9-9). They then inched ahead in the sixth, using another double to go up 10-9.

Down to their final chance, ALC answered.  First, Cole Bishop (C) would reach base with a single. He would eventually advance to third.

Maynard then drove a hard grounder to the shortstop, who made an errant throw. This permitted Bishop to race home for the 10-10 tie.

Next, Tate came through in the clutch, driving a triple to right. His bomb brought Maynard across home plate to give Alice Lloyd an 11-10 cushion.

With the pressure on them, WV Tech would go down in the bottom of the inning as Trenton Williams sealed the deal on the mound.

For the contest, ALC won the hitting battle, 11-10, with Maynard, Mullins, and Tate all slapping 2 apiece. Maynard and Tate delivered 2 RBIs each.

Dawson Beckett had a tough go of things on the mound, typically steady. In 0.1 innings, he gave up 4 hits and 6 runs before being relieved.

Sunny Smith threw 3.2 innings, allowing 4 hits and 3 runs with 7 whiffs. Williams then closed and took the win. In 3 innings, he gave up just 3 hits and 1 run, with 2 strikeouts.

A key stat was Tech committed only 4 errors on the day.