Alice Lloyd Baseball faces Ohio Christian University in tough, four-game series

Circleville, Ohio: The Alice Lloyd College Eagles baseball team returned to the field on Thursday and Friday for a 4-game series against a solid Ohio Christian Trailblazer squad. The games were all close, but the homestanding Buckeye squad would get the best end of the deal as they took both doubleheaders, including a pair of extra-inning victories.

April 17th

Game 1

Alice Lloyd-4; OCU-6

The visitors opened the contest by plating 2 quick runs, despite not gaining a hit. This happened when ALC had a trio of batters reach base via walks, and then saw Ohio Christian commit a costly error (2-0). The hosts would soon make amends.

The Trailblazers tied the score in the second, courtesy of a double and single (2-2). They then repeated the same process in the fourth, and gained another run to inch ahead, 3-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Ohio club came through with 3 singles. This, coupled with a wild pitch and error from the Bluegrass boys, enabled the hosts to race ahead, 6-2.

In the seventh, the Caney Creek clubbers looked to rally, and they would load the bags with nobody out. A grounder from Cole Bishop (C) delivered 1 run (6-3), while a single from Zach Morris (1B) would deliver a second (6-4). Unfortunately, a hot grounder was scooped up by the OCU shortstop, and he turned a big double-play to end the game.

At the plate, Carson Tate (2B) led his crew with a pair of hits, while Morris delivered 3 RBI's.

On the mound, Dawson Beckett went the distance, but took the disappointing loss, giving up 5 runs on 9 hits with 3 strikeouts. 

Ohio prevailed in hits, 9-6, and both teams committed 2 errors. 

Game 2

Alice Lloyd-1; OCU-2

The home club won in extra innings in a contest dominated by pitching.

Both clubs could only muster a single hit each until the fourth inning. In the top half, after a walk and grounder placed a runner on second base, Jayden Huff (LF) would lace a single to left field to give his squad a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the same inning, the Trailblazers tied the game with two outs. After one of their players was hit by a pitch and awarded first base, a well-placed double brought him home to knot the contest at 1-1.

Over the next three innings, each squad did have their chances, as both had an inning where they left a pair of runners on base. However, the scoreboard remained unchanged.

In the eighth inning, the Caney Creek crew saw Cory Jefferson (DH) deliver a one-out double and gave his teammates hope. Unfortunately, the next batter flied out and the outfielder was able to throw Jefferson out at third to stop the rally.

In the bottom of the inning, OCU led off with a single. After a groundout advanced him to second, a shot down the line delivered him home and ended the day.

At the plate, Jefferson provided a pair of hits, while Huff delivered the lone RBI.

On the mound, Cain Flynn deserved a better fate. He went the distance, giving up just 2 runs on 5 hits with 5 strikeouts. 

Both squads knocked 5 hits and the matchup was played error-free.

  April 18th

Game 3

Alice Lloyd-8; OCU-3

The Buckeye club would break open a close game in the fifth inning to take the Friday opener.

In the OCU first, a fielder's choice and pair of singles would pay dividends as it propelled them to a 3-0 lead. However, the Kentucky club would respond in the very next inning, by taking advantage of a Trailblazer error and receiving a RBI single from Bishop to chip into the deficit. Now, they only trailed 3-2.

In the Ohio half of the third, they utilized a single to gain back 1 run. Now the hosts led 4-2. In the fifth, they would do major damage.

In that inning, a trio of singles at just the right moment led to a windfall of four runs. Suddenly, the hosts led 8-2.

Finally, in their last at-bat the Kentucky kids would have a golden opportunity when they loaded the bases, A wild pitch from OCU would bring in a runner to make the score 8-3. Unfortunately, needing more runs, the rally would be snuffed out.

At the plate, 8 different Eagles would register a single while Bishop and Morris both provided RBI's.

On the mound, Trenton Williams took the loss. In 4.1 innings, he allowed 8 runs on 9 hits with 3 strikeouts. He was relieved by Thomas Forehand who gave up 0 runs and 2 hits in 1.2 innings of work. He whiffed 1.

 The victors won the hitting debate, 11-8, which enabled them to overcome the games lone error. 

Game 4

Alice Lloyd-1; OCU-2

For the second time in the series, ALC dropped a heartbreaker in extra-innings.

The scoring started in the bottom of the first when, with two Trailblazers on base, a single down the line drove them both home (2-0).

The Pippa Passes posse matched that output in the second when, after placing a pair of their own on second and third, Morris bopped a single to left field to deliver them both and knot the score up at 2-2.

Then in the top of the fifth, a Buckeye-squad error gave the visitors a gift score. Alice Lloyd now led, 3-2.

However, in the bottom of the inning, Ohio would put a runner on third, and see him trot home on a long sacrifice fly. The scoreboard now registered 3-3, and would remain that way through the seventh.

In extra-innings, the Kentucky kids would go down without scoring, giving Ohio Christian a chance to win. OCU promptly placed a runner on base and saw him later advance to third. In need of one more out, a grounder would be misplayed by the Bluegrass crew. The Eagle error was enough to help the Trailblazer runner make it safely home, thus ending the contest.

At the plate, Morris was solid as he came through with 3 hits and 2 RBI's.

On the mound, Jacob Ayers started and went 4 solid innings. He gave up 4 hits, 3 runs, and struck out 3 batters. He was relieved by Gage Hensley who, despite being credited for the loss in 3.2 innings of work, allowed just 4 hits and 1 run (that was unearned), while striking out 5.

 The Eagles were outhit, 8-7, but had 3 costly errors that proved to be the deciding factor in the outcome.