TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – GAME 1 (
Box Score) Blue Mountain Christian opened its SSAC schedule with a 10-5 victory in Game 1 Saturday against Stillman College, pushing their winning streak to eight games.
The Toppers got a complete game from
Matthew Koch (2-0), as he struck out five hitters against two earned runs on seven hits.
Blue Mountain got two runs in the third on an
Easton Rainer infield hit and a
Hayden Arant fielder's choice to go up 2-1.
Down 3-2, the Toppers scored three runs in the fifth; two on a balk by Stillman's Griff Minor and an RBI single by
Reiley Tate.
The Tigers tied it in the bottom of the fifth at 5-5, but the Toppers got a two-run single by
Nash Schingle in the sixth and iced it in the seventh when
Gavin Coles scored on a wild
pitch and
Zack Koon ripped a two-run single to center.
Isidro Jimenez was tagged with the loss for Stillman, giving up six runs on five hits.
Koon,
Alex Frillman and
Easton Rainer all had two hits apiece for the Toppers.
GAME 2
(
Box Score) Blue Mountain secured the best-of-three conference series in the evening game, easily defeating the Tigers 13-0 behind a complete-game one-hitter from lefty
Josh Smith and a sixth-inning offensive onslaught.
The Toppers sixth inning damage included an RBI double and sac fly by
Hayden Arant, a two-run single by
Alex Frillman, RBI singles by
Chris Smith,
Nash Schingle and Gavin Goles and a sac fly by
David Dickerson.
Bryland Skinner would have an RBI single in the third,
Gavin Coles singled in two runs in the fourth and
Easton Rainer added an RBI single in the fifth for the Toppers.
Smith mowed down the Tiger offense, striking out 10 batters on just 68 pitches in seven innings.
The Toppers tagged Stillman starter Mason Collins for four runs on nine hits, followed by reliever Raul Soto for six runs on three hits.
Frillman had four hits, three runs scored and two RBI to continue his hot 2023, while Coles had two hits and three RBI. Smith also had two hits and Arant finished with two hits, two runs and two RBI.
The win was the Toppers' ninth straight victory, as they now stand at 16-3 overall and 2-0 in the SSAC.
The two teams conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m. CT in Tuscaloosa.
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