The Spring Hill College baseball team started SIAC play with a series sweep for the second consecutive season after defeating Edward Waters 7-5 and 9-3 in Friday’s doubleheader at Howard Roey Field.
Bryce Anderson went 5-for-2 and crossed the plate twice to start the day in game one. Michael Racobaldo captured his first win on the mound this season while striking our six, walking two and only giving up five hits over 24 batters.
The Badgers got on the board first behind a two-run RBI double by Jack Taylor in the first inning and a RBI single from Jackson Bell in the third. The Tigers also hopped on the board in the third with a sacrifice RBI.
Nick Hunter came in with a sacrifice bunt in the fourth inning to bring Ethan Valdezhome in the fourth inning to extend the SHC lead to 4-1. EWU responded with a run in the fifth to keep the game at 5-2.
In the seventh inning, Spring Hill piled on three more runs and grew its lead to 7-2. Edward Waters showed life again in the seventh and eighth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the 7-5 Badger lead.
Hunter led hitting in the second game with two hits and one run over three at-bats. Harun Pelja earned his first win of the season while sitting six batters down and only giving up two runs.
The final game of the series went well for SHC, who started the game with a two-run RBI double from Bell, followed by a two-run home run from Taylor over the left field wall. Edward Waters hit a two-run RBI triple to cut the Badger lead in half, 4-2, in the third inning.
Anderson pushed Spring Hill ahead 5-2 with a RBI single to left field in the fourth inning. The Tigers put up a fight, scoring again in the fifth to keep the game within two runs (5-3).
The Badgers solidified their 9-3 win with four more runs, including a three-run RBI single in the seventh inning. Spring Hill completed its second SIAC opener sweep in a row on the road.
Game Details
Date: Feb. 16
Time: 12 p.m. / 3 p.m. (EST)
Venue (Location): Howard Roey Field (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Results
Spring Hill 7, Edward Waters 5
Spring Hill 9, Edward Waters 3
Records: Spring Hill (5-5, 3-0 SIAC), Edward Waters (4-6, 0-3 SIAC)
They Said It
Head Coach Walker Bullington
On the game
“Really proud of the way we pitched the baseball this weekend. Every single guy we put on the mound competed in the strike zone with multiple pitches, we limited free bags and kept pitch counts down. Offensively, we did enough and defense was solid all weekend. It was great to a conference road sweep against a good club that swings the bats. Now, we get some rest and then get ready to go on Tuesday at home with a really talented team in West Florida for a big midweek game.”
Up Next
Spring Hill will return to Sims-Galle Field on Tuesday to host regional foe West Florida.
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