Knoxville, TN: The Alice Lloyd Eagles baseball team was busy over the weekend as they traveled to the Volunteer state to face the Johnson University Royals in a two-game series on April 13th. Below are recaps of each game.
APRIL 13
Game 1
ALC – 3 | JU – 4
JU scored 1 in the bottom of the seventh to put away the opening game.
The Eagles opened the scoring in the third inning when Juan Lander’s single drove in 1 run.
In the fourth, Johnson used 3 errors from the guests to score 3 runs and take the lead, 3-1.
ALC respond with 2 of their own in the fifth. After two runners reached base, Dalton Cornett drove them both in with a clutch double to tie things at 3-3.
Alice Lloyd received another double from Cornett one inning later but ended the inning with 2 runners stranded on base.
The score remained unchanged until the last of the seventh. At that important juncture, JU saw a runner reach on a single and advance to second on a bunt. The next batter promptly singled him in to seal the contest.
Cornett would finish 2-3, with 2 doubles and a couple of RBI’s. Lander, Peyton Buford, and Reese Ison each singled on the day.
Matt Brown only allowed 1 earned run in suffering the hard-luck defeat. He stuck out 4 batters.
Johnson won the hitting battle, 10-5, but the 3 Eagle errors made the difference in the game.
Game 2
ALC -7 | JU – 0
Pitcher Chance Cornett tossed a complete game, 4 hit shutout to propel the Eagles to victory in game 2.
The Eagles struck first with 1 run in the second on a big solo blast to left field from Peyton Buford.
The score remained unchanged until the fifth when ALC struck gold again. Two singles, including an RBI hit from Juan Lander, scored 1 run. A second crossed the plate moments later, thanks to a wild pitch. Now ALC led 3-0.
In the meantime, Chance Cornett remained dominant on the mound as he continued to hold JU in check.
The Eagles would then seal the deal in the seventh as 4 huge runs would cross the plate. The big blows were courtesy of a Dalton Cornett single that drove in 2 runs and another RBI single from Lander.
Chance Cornett then would end the game in the bottom of the inning as he set Johnson down in order.
Buford and Dalton Cornett each had 2 hits with Buford leading the way with his homer and 3 RBI’s.
Chance Cornett struck out 5 and walked only 1 to win the impressive victory.
The Eagles won the hitting battle 9-4.