Berry Completes Twin Bill Sweep of Crusaders
ROME, Ga. - Berry scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to come from behind and defeat Tennessee Temple 4-3 in the first game of a doubleheader at William R. Bowdoin Field Friday afternoon. The Vikings competed the sweep with a 9-5 win in the nightcap.
The win in the opener marked the third consecutive game in which Berry has defeated Tennessee Temple in its last at-bat. Berry swept a doubleheader with wins in the same fashion in both games on March 25.
Trailing 3-2 with runners on second and third and nobody out, Berry second baseman Austin Neely delivered an RBI single down the right field line that scored Drew McDuffie, who singled to lead off the inning, and tied the score.
Thomas Johnson followed Neely and delivered a fly ball to shallow centerfield. Cory Pitts, who was standing on third base, tagged up and dashed home, forcing what looked like would be a play at the plate. But Tennessee Temple centerfielder Robert Vipond's throw hit the mound and bounced toward the third base line, allowing Pitts to score easily on Johnson's sacrifice fly.
The two seventh-inning runs were the first for Berry after they took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on Johnson's two-run double.
Tennessee Temple scored twice in the fourth and once in the fifth to go ahead 3-2.
Berry was held to five hits in the game, with Pitts, Neely, Johnson, McDuffie and Madison Moss all getting one.
Berry reliever Josh Dilbeck (3-3) earned the victory. He allowed two hits and struck out one batter in two innings.
Dilbeck came on in relief of Cameron Rich with nobody out in the sixth. All three of the runs scored against Rich were unearned. He allowed five hits and two walks in five innings, while striking out four batters.
Mason Mills took the loss for Tennessee Temple. He allowed four runs on five hits and six walks while striking out three batters in 6 1/3 innings.
Berry (16-11) didn't need a comeback to win the second game, instead using a seven-run fifth inning to break open a 1-1 tie.
The Vikings racked up 11 hits in the seven-inning affair, including two each from Pitts, Neely, Johnson and Travis Blackburn. Blackburn led Berry with two RBIs in the second game.
Trent Hillis (2-1), making his first start of the season, earned the victory. He allowed just one unearned run in five innings of work. The righthander allowed two hits and walked one batter while striking out five. Cameron Mirtsching and Casey Coats each allowed two runs in one inning for Berry.
Zack Duncan took the loss for Tennessee Temple, allowing eight runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Berry and Tennessee Temple are scheduled to meet Saturday at 1 p.m., at Red Bank High School in Chattanooga.
- BerryVikings.com -