CENTRAL, S.C.- The Shorter Hawks (17-28, 8-25 CC) took the series from Southern Wesleyan (16-34, 10-23 CC) in game two with an 11-6 win before dropping game three in a 3-2 defeat due to a rain delay.
GAME TWO
Shorter struck early in the top of the first, as Reece Newberry drove in Drake Cobb on an infield single to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead. Southern Wesleyan answered in the bottom half with a bases-loaded walk to even the score, but the Hawks quickly regained control. In the second inning, Josh Tattershall launched his seventh home run of the season to make it 2-1. Michael Barron extended the lead in the fourth with an RBI single, though the Warriors stayed within striking distance with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the fifth, where Barron delivered a three-run homer to put Shorter ahead 6-2, only to see Southern Wesleyan respond with a three-run shot of their own. Clinging to a one-run lead, the Hawks broke the game open in the sixth inning as Newberry crushed a grand slam and Barron added another RBI single, capping a massive offensive surge that pushed the lead to 11-5. Southern Wesleyan managed just one more run in the final frame, as Shorter secured an 11-6 win to clinch the series.
GAME THREE
Strong pitching from the hosts helped limit the Hawk bats early on after an explosive game two. The Warriors jumped ahead early, plating runs in each of the first two innings behind a fielder's choice and timely hitting. Newberry provided life for Shorter, blasting his third home run of the series—a two-run shot that brought in Drake Cobb and evened the score.
However, that would be all the offense the Hawks could muster. Southern Wesleyan tacked on the go-ahead run and shut the door the rest of the way, handing Shorter a 3-2 loss and preventing the series sweep.
"What a finish", said Head Coach Wes Timmons. "With all of the adversity that this group has dealt with, to know that we had to sweep to keep playing, and for these kids to leave it on the field this weekend and give us a chance, was amazing to watch! It's a tough pill to swallow knowing the last game was cut short because of the rain. But that's baseball. It is what it is, and the good Lord had other plans for this group. The kids continued to play hard through it all, and the future here at Shorter U remains bright. I'm very appreciative of my seniors and all that they've meant to this program, and may God bless them all moving forward!"
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