The Colonels started off their season Feb. 20-22 against Chicago State winning all three games in the series: 15-0, 13-2 and 18-3.”It was a good night for us and a great way to start off the season,” said head coach Chip Durham. “We performed well in all three phases of the game – defense, pitching and hitting.”
The next day the Colonels played the second of the three game series ending in the seventh inning with the ten-run rule.
The Colonels came out the last game of the season with junior pitcher Jarrett Dunnam leading the team to an 18-3 win.
Dunnam pitched five innings allowing six hits, one run, four walks and six strikeouts.
“Dunnam had a great outing,” Durham said. “We would normally like for our starter to go six innings, but his pitch count was getting up there, so he came out in the fifth and was able to pick up the win. Hopefully we can carry this momentum with us on the road for these next five games.”
Seniors Lance Guidroz and Ryan Harding, as well as junior Dale Dickerson, gave up four hits and struck out six runners respectively.
In the bottom of the eighth, freshman outfielder Jacob Knight hit a triple with bases loaded scoring Kulbeth, senior Josh Swenson and redshirt freshman Beau Faulk.
Junior outfielder Eric Douglas led the team hitting two for four with four RBI’s.
“I’m very pleased with our guys,” Durham said. “We came out and played well. Again, we swung the bat well and didn’t make any errors. We gave up more free passes than we would have liked with the six walks and two hit batters, but I was pleased overall.”
The team went on a week-long road trip starting at Alabama Feb. 24-25 losing both games 8-7 and 6-3.
In the fourth, the Colonels scored with a single down the middle. Murrill scored on a single by Miley who would then go on to score in the eighth leading off with a triple.
The next night, the Colonels took control of the game up until the ninth inning, with a total of 14 hits on the night.
Starting off the scoring for the Colonels in the third were Schlegel, Murrill and Kulbeth. In the fourth, Schelgel also hit a sac fly to score junior Zach Tisdale. Also driving in scores was Douglas scoring Moseley and Kulbeth. Kulbeth and Douglas recorded multi-hit game.
Pitching for the Colonels was junior Tyler Minto who allowed four hits and struck out three in his 4.2 innings of pitching.
Alabama caught up to the Colonels in the ninth inning sending the Colonels into extra innings. Sophomore Drew Erwin allowed a homerun to the only batter he faced in the bottom of the tenth taking the loss for the Colonels.
The Colonels then traveled to Starkville, Miss. to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Due to rain, the Colonels had to play a double header on Feb. 27 losing both 10-8 and 6-3.
Pitching for the Colonels in game one was Dupuis who allowed nine runs, struck out three and walked three in his 4.1 innings of play.
Schlegel started scoring, after getting hit by a pitch, when Gauthe doubled to center, which also scored two batters later.
Minto started off the fourth with a double and later brought home a two RBI from Schlegel. Schlegel finished the game one for four with three RBI’s and scoring two, accounting for five of the Colonels’ eight. Three singles as well as base running scored three to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 8-7.
In game two, Minto led the scoring going two for four with one run and one RBI, accounting for two of the Colonels’ three. The other run came from Gauthe in the fourth scoring off of a single and Bulldog error. However, the Bulldogs won the second game with a score of 6-3. The third game of the series was canceled due to the weather.
The Colonels returned home on Mar. 2 to face the Crusaders of William Carey University.
The Crusaders scored the first inning of the game and retained the lead until the eighth when the Colonels took a 2-1 lead.
Posting hits for the Colonels were Schlegel, Swenson and Moseley before the eighth. In the eighth, Gauthe hit a single followed by Kulbeth on first because of an error from the Crusaders’ first baseman. Swenson hit and got out at first posting a RBI scoring Gauthe. Kulbeth advanced to second and stole third soon after. With two outs, Minto hit to third and an error on the Crusaders’ third baseman scored Kulbeth putting the Colonels up 2-1 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
Pitching in the top of the ninth is junior closer Dale Dickerson. Allowing a player on base from an error and two hits from the first three batters Dickerson faced, the Crusaders tied the game. The next batter for the Crusaders hit a double down the left line scoring two increasing the lead 4-2 in the Crusaders favor. After a throwing error from junior catcher Jason Dennis, the Crusaders scored, increasing the score 5-2.
The Colonels were not able to answer and fell to the Crusaders 5-2.
The Colonels open up conference play this weekend at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas with games on March 6 at 6:30 p.m., March 7 at 2 p.m. and March 8 for 1 p.m.
