Shreveport - The Centenary baseball team completed a season-opening sweep of the University of the Ozarks Eagles in a non-conference doubleheader with an 8-3 victory on Saturday.
The game was suspended by rain in the bottom of the fifth inning on Friday and completed on Saturday. The Diamond Gents (2-0) recorded an 11-1 run-rule victory in seven innings in game one of the DH on Friday over the Eagles (0-2).
The Diamond Gents took a 3-0 lead after three innings, the Eagles scored one in the fourth and two more in the fifth to tie the game, but Centenary erupted for five in the bottom half of the fifth to take the 8-3 lead. Neither team scored in the sixth inning after the resumption, and the Eagles stranded two and struck out to end the game.
Senior SS Noah Koehmstedt (San Diego, Calif.) walked to lead off the third. He then stole second and went to third on an error. Senior CF Gary Hewitt (Cedar Park, Texas) then delivered an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Freshman LF Lenny Forth (Flower Mound, Texas) drove in a pair with an infield single for a 3-0 lead.
RF Jackson Barker singled in 3B Isaac Price in the fourth to cut the Eagles' deficit to 3-1. Price and DH Dru Didway had RBI singles in the fifth to tie the game. Centenary responded with five in the bottom half to take an 8-3 lead before play was suspended. Forth had an RBI single, junior C Austyn Benoit (Welsh, La.) plated two with a double, and Hewitt and freshman RF Carson Livesay (Lafayette, La.) each drew bases-loaded walks.
The Eagles threatened immediately after play resumed as they loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, but Centenary escaped the jam as freshman P Jacob Broussard (Houston, Texas) struck put Price for the final out of the frame. Senior LHP Collier Cloinger (Bossier City, La.) pitched the ninth and struck out two, including LK Kagen Kennedy to end the game.
Freshman LHP Cody Myers (Friendswood, Texas) made his collegiate debut and went 4.1 innings and allowed two runs, both earned, on three hits with two walks and three K's. He faced 18 batters and threw 75 pitches (43) strikes as he received a no-decision. Senior RHP Parker Primeaux (Lake Charles, La.) got he win as he relieved Myers and allowed one earned run and two hits with a walk and a K in 0.2 innings of work. Broussard and Cloinger combined for three K's and three walks in their two innings but allowed just two hits and no runs.
Isaac Pelts (0-1) took the loss for the Eagles as he started and went 4.2 innings, allowing six runs (all earned) on five hits with three walks and four K's. He faced 24 batters, hitting one, and threw 90 pitches – 55 for strikes. Two Eagles' relievers pitched the final 1.1 and allowed two earned runs on a hit with five walks and no K's.
Centenary finished with six hits and one error while the Eagles had seven hits and committed four costly errors. Ozarks also left 10 on base and struck out seven times while Centenary left eight on but only struck out four times and drew eight walks.
See the complete Diamond Gents' season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/schedule
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