JACKSON, Tn. - The Shorter Hawks opened Gulf South Conference play by splitting a double header against Union. The Hawks lost the first game 7-1, but took the second contest 7-5.
Shorter's record now stands at 7-4 (1-1 GSC), while Union is 7-3 (1-1 GSC).
In game one, the Hawks fell 7-1, scoring their only run in the top of the seventh inning. Shorter surrendered one run to Union in the bottom of the first. In the second,
Dustin Lawson and
Sheldon Drake singled, giving the Hawks two runners on with no outs. Unfortunately, Lawson and Drake were unable to cross home plate and the score remained 1-0. Shorter went down in order in the third inning and escaped what could have been trouble in the bottom half of that same inning.
Hayden Lewis singled for Union in its half of the third but was thrown out by Lawson attempting to steal second. With two outs, the Hawks pitchers walked back-to-back batters, giving the Bulldogs runners on first and second, however, Shorter's
Michael Weiksner got out of the jam as he popped up Union's Zach Phillips.
In the visitors half of the fourth, Lawson registered his second hit of the night, a single, and got as far as third due to an error and wild pitch.
Sheldon Drake drew a walk but was thrown out trying to steal second, ending the Hawks time at the plate with the score still 1-0. Union managed one run in the fourth, as Austin Orr batted in a runner on a sacrifice bunt.
Shorter struggled in the middle innings, giving up six runs to the Bulldogs in the fifth and six innings respectively. After the sixth, the Hawks held Union scoreless, while managing a run of their own in the top of the seventh.
Singles by
Ty Cherry and
Mason Long, followed by a wild pitch, gave Shorter two runners on with no outs.
Austin Miller grounded out to third, scoring Cherry and receiving the RBI. Although Long was in scoring position with two outs, the final two Hawks batters struck out, making the score 7-1. Neither team scored for the rest of the game, as the Bulldogs took the first game of the series.
Sophomore
Jerry Liang received the loss for Shorter, giving up one earned over 2.2 innings. Union's Marty Coursey earned the win, throwing seven innings.
Game two went into extra innings with Shorter taking a 7-5 win.
Things were quiet until the third, when Union scored four runs. It all began with a leadoff double by Lewis, who advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Shorter got the next batter out, giving the Bulldogs a runner on third, with two outs. Things fell out apart for the visitors as the Hawks surrendered four runs, all with two outs on the scoreboard. Zach Phillips reached on an error, scoring Lewis and advancing the previous batter, Dylan Moore, to second. Zach Wylie extended Union's lead to 3-0 on a 2-rbi double. With Wylie on second, Nolen Milton doubled to left field, batting in Wylie, who scored the Bulldogs final run on the inning.
Down 4-0 heading into the fourth, Shorter was not deterred. The Hawks matched Union's run total of the previous inning, as four Hawks crossed the plate to even the score at four. Lawson doubled, batting in
Blaze Vazquez to bring the visitors within three runs, 4-1.
Patrick Sanderson stepped up to the plate and tripled, allowing Vazquez to score, brining Shorter another run closer. With his team down 4-2,
Ty Cherry walked, bringing up Liang. Liang singled, batting in both Sanderson and Cherry, thus tying the game, 4-4.
The Bulldogs scored once in the bottom of the fourth, but Shorter answered in the top of the fifth inning. Drake singled to start off the inning, and advanced to third via a
Brian Cabrera sacrifice bunt and Vazquez groundout. Lawson singled to right, batting in Drake, and tying the game at five.
In the eighth inning, the Hawks scored two runs to take a 7-5 lead over Union. Cabrera singled and Vazquez walked, putting runners on first and second for Shorter with no outs. Lawson laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving the runners over one base. Next, the Hawks drew three straight walks. Sanderson was placed on intentionally, loading the bases. Cherry and Liang each walked in a run, making the score 7-5 in favor of SU, heading to the bottom half of the eighth.
Jacob Ramos, who pitched 3 innings in relief, retired the Bulldogs in the bottom of the eighth. Ramos received the win, moving his record to 2-0 on the season.
The two teams play the rubber match tomorrow at 2 PM EST in Jackson, TN.
