Select Page

by Anthony Sizemore, Student Sportswriter

The Alice Lloyd Eagles hosted the Berea Mountaineers this past weekend for a four-game set. Pippa Passes, Kentucky was the site for the games. Here is a brief, game-by-game look at the series.

April 13th

Game 1

ALC 6

BC 8

Neil Dillon started for ALC in this pivotal match-up between conference rivals. Kyle Tibbs was the starter for Berea.

The Eagles got off to a good start by holding the Mountaineers scoreless in the top half of the first, and then scored one in the bottom to go ahead. Berea would not be held down for long, however, as they would put a four spot on the board in the second.

BC extended their lead to 5-1 through three. In the bottom of the fourth, ALC got two runs to make it 5-3 only to see Berea add a run to make it 6-3 through five. In the seventh inning, ALC had one last chance to extend the game. They would do just that as they would bring home three runs to tie the game and send it to extra innings. Ultimately, the visitors would come out on top as they scored two in the top of the eighth and closed the doors on another Eagles comeback in the bottom.

Brandon Arnold, Cody Hyden, Kevin Smith, Jake Bales, and Josh Arnold all drove in base runners for the Eagles. Neil Dillon pitched respectably as he went seven and one-third innings, allowing 11 hits and 8 runs but only 4 earned. He produced 6 strikeouts. Aaron Boling pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up just 1 hit.

 

Game 2

ALC 2

BC 17

Alice Lloyd sent Wayne Sparks to the hill for the second game of the series while Berea elected to start Blake Sullivan.

BC got off to a fast start, scoring three runs in the first. They would add a lot more in the third, this time producing ten runs. Alice Lloyd would score some runs to at least prevent the shutout.

Brandon Arnold had another game in which he claimed 2 RBIs. Wayne Sparks pitched two and two-thirds innings, surrendering 11 hits and 11 runs. Ben Ray, Joey Stamper, Russ Sweeney, and Patrick Barnett pitched the other four and one-third innings.

 

April 14th

Game 3

ALC 7

BC 11

Josh Mills at the plate for ALC.

In the third game of the four-game set, the coaching staff for ALC selected Dylan Sullins to be the starting pitcher.

Both teams put up two runs after one inning of play. Berea scored three in the third, but ALC scored four to take a 6-5 advantage. Back and forth the two teams went as BC took the lead in the top of the fourth with two runs; however, ALC countered with one run in the bottom to tie the game at 7. Berea would take the lead for good in the sixth with three runs and added another in the seventh.

Alice Lloyd’s Kevin Smith had his bat working at the plate as he brought home 3 runs. Josh Mills, Bobby Caldwell, and Greg Wright also recorded RBIs. Sullins went six and two-thirds, allowing 11 hits and runs. The stats do not tell the whole story of Sullins‘s pitching performance, though — only 3 of Berea’s runs were earned.

 

 Game 4

ALC 8

BC 13

Cody Hyden was named the starter for the series finale as the Eagles looked to prevent the sweep.

Alice Lloyd got three in the first and one in the second to take what seemed at the time to be a comfortable lead, 4-0. Berea would take the lead in the third with five runs and added five more runs in the fifth to ALC’s two. Unfortunately for the Eagles, Berea would pile on runs in the later innings.

Shane Pack, Kevin Smith, and Jake Bales had 2 RBIs. Josh Mills and Derek Walzer had 1 RBI each. Hyden pitched two and two-thirds innings, giving up 6 hits and 5 runs (4 earned).