Posted: Apr 23, 2011
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| Hendrix |
1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 1 | |
| Rhodes |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
(Story courtesy Hendrix College)
MILLINGTON,
Tenn. - Hendrix College junior
right-hander Teddy Smoyer allowed just four hits, one walk and nine
strikeouts in a 9.0 inning complete-game victory over Rhodes
College, 7-2, for the Warriors’ second win Saturday at USA
Stadium.
Box Score | Official Site
Hendrix advances to its second SCAC Championship Sunday in program history as the Warriors will take on #1 West Trinity University at 12 p.m. CT. The Warriors will need to take down the Tigers twice tomorrow to earn their second SCAC Title in three years.
Smoyer set the tone early by allowing just two batters to
reach base in the first three innings. He retired nine consecutive
batters from the third through the sixth frames. Smoyer sat Rhodes
down in order and fanned four batters in the last three innings to
slam the door shut. He improves to 3-2 with the
victory.
Smoyer made his first start in 29 days as he rested due to shoulder soreness over the last month. His last start included a 9.0 inning shutout win over Trinity on March 26, earning him SCAC Pitcher-of-the-Week honors in Week 8 of the season.
Hendrix carried its momentum from today’s first game and went up early with one run in the first inning. First year Collin Radack was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch and raced 180 ft. on first year Jacob Perschke’s line drive to left center field.
The Warriors made it a 3-0 lead in the third when junior Clark Sims led off with a walk and made it all the way to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Radack then reached on an error at third, stole second and reached third on a wild pitch, scoring Sims. Perschke then sent Radack home on a grounder up the middle.
Senior Jeff Forgerson gave Hendrix a 4-0 lead in the fourth by hammering a leadoff double down the left field line. First year Nick Richardson followed with a two-bagger down the left field line of his own to score Forgerson.
Rhodes finally reached the scoreboard in the sixth when senior Andy Meier and junior Matt Gilbert reached on free passes with two outs. Both runners advanced on a balk and then sophomore Lynden Pindling sent Meier and Gilbert across on a base knock to center field.
Hendrix answered and killed any chance of a momentum change when Sims tagged a one-out single up the middle, sprinted all the way to third on a wild pitch and then raced home when the catcher air-mailed the throw down to third on the same play.
Forgerson placed an exclamation mark at the end of Hendrix’s sentence with a two-run bomb over the right field wall in the eighth inning. Perschke led off with a free pass and Forgerson sent the first pitch he saw soaring into the night sky to make it a 7-2 affair.
Forgerson finished 3-for-4, including a double and a homer, with two runs scored and two RBI. Sims was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Perschke was 1-for-3 with one run scored and two RBI. Richardson went 1-for-4 with an RBI and Radack was 0-for-4 with two runs scored.
Rhodes’ first year right-hander Jacob Long started and lasted 3.0 innings to suffer the loss in his first decision of the season.
Hendrix improves to 18-20 on the year and Rhodes falls to 23-19 overall. The Warriors redeemed their two 5-4 losses against the Lynx, including the opening loss of the SCAC Tourney on Thursday. The Warriors now own an 8-3 record in SCAC postseason play.
After the game, SCAC Correspondent James Hill had the chance to catch up with both head coaches, as well as Hendrix pitcherr Tedy Smoyer.
To listen to Hendrix head coach RJ Thomas, click here.
To listen to Rhodes head coach Jeff Cleanthes, click here.
To listen to Hendrix junior Tedy Smoyer, click here.