Skyhawks run-rule game one but drop series to SAU
EMERSON, Ga. (Feb. 6, 2022) – The Point University baseball team opened the 2022 season against St. Andrews Saturday and Sunday at the LakePoint baseball complex. The Skyhawks opened the season by run-ruling the Knights 13-3 in eight innings before falling 6-3 in game two on Saturday and 10-7 on Sunday.
Point was initially scheduled to host Georgetown over the weekend, but Georgetown was unable to travel due to weather conditions in Kentucky.
Game one: Point- 13 St. Andrews- 3
After the Knights opened Saturday's doubleheader with a leadoff solo home run followed by a bases-loaded walk to take an early 2-0 lead, the Skyhawks followed by posting five runs in the bottom of the inning to earn an early 5-2 lead. Dillon Brown led off with a single to right field and a fielder's choice drove Brown in to help Point cut St. Andrews' lead in half. An RBI single to right field from Zebediah Baird would score Connor Varnum and Jhmante Woods would follow with an RBI single to left field, scoring Jakobe Smith. Baird and Woods would score to earn the Skyhawks a 3-run advantage over the Knights.
Neither team would score for the following four innings until a single to center field by Kole Sonnier would score Francisco Garcia. In the seventh inning, a solo homer from Smith would spark a 4-run rally for the Skyhawks. Back-to-back errors from St. Andrews would allow Jaysen Dower and Garcia to cross home plate and Sonnier would connect for another single up the middle, scoring Jackson Bush. Point led 10-2, entering the top of the eighth.
St. Andrew's Jaxon Snider would connect for a solo homer to cut Point's lead down to seven, but the Skyhawks would score three runs in the bottom of the inning to earn the run-rule victory. A single down the left field line by Garcia would drive in Smith and a double to deep center field by Kevin Howard would score Garcia and Dower.
Point connected for 13 hits with Garcia leading the way, going 3-for-5 with three RBI's. Smith, Bush and Howard each went 1-for-4 with two RBI's apiece. Cole Brown made his Skyhawk debut on the mound, going 5.0 innings, giving up four hits, two runs (both earned), walking four, and striking out three. Austin Tebo came in for relief, going 3.0 innings, giving up one hit, one run (earned), walking three and striking out four.
Game two: Point- 3 St. Andrews- 6
After two scoreless innings from both sides, St. Andrews scored two runs in the top of the third, following back-to-back singles to center field. The Knights would then extend their lead with a solo home run from Snider in the top of the fourth. Point's offense came alive in the bottom of the inning as the Skyhawks evened the score 3-3. With bases loaded, Alex Marquand reached on a fielder's choice that scored Garcia and Marquand scored on a double to left center by Varnum. Before scoring, Marquand stole second to draw out a throw from St. Andrew's catcher that allowed Dower to score.
Point's runs in the fourth were quickly answered by St. Andrews as the Knights took a 3-run lead in the top of the fifth. An error would bring in the first run and back-to-back singles to the outfield would bring in two more runs for SAU. Point would go down in order in the fifth and sixth inning and could not capitalize on a hit by pitch to Brown in the bottom of the seventh to bring in any runs.
The Skyhawks connected for four hits in the second game, with Smith and Varnum recording two each. Gene Abourette suffered the loss, going four innings, giving up six hits, six runs (four earned), walking five and striking out three. Cale Whigham came in for relief, going three innings, giving up two hits, walking two, and striking out three.
Game three: Point- 7 St. Andrews- 10
St. Andrews opened the game, scoring two runs, but the Skyhawks would not allow these runs to go unanswered as an error allowed Varnum to score and a double to left center by Garcia drove in Bush. The Knights would answer with a run in the fourth and three runs in the fifth to go ahead 6-2. Point would chip away at St. Andrew's lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Smith would begin Point's rally with a single up the middle to score Brown. Garcia then followed with a sacrifice fly to score Varnum. With the Skyhawks trailing 6-4, St. Andrews would extend their lead back out to four with two runs in the top of the sixth. The Skyhawks would respond with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Baird would drive in Bush and Smith off a single to center field. Howard would follow with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Garcia. The Skyhawks trailed 8-7 and had a scoring opportunity in the eighth with a runner on first and third, but Point was unable to capitalize and the Knights took advantage, scoring two runs in the top of the ninth to go ahead 10-7.
Point connected for nine hits with Bush leading the way, going 2-for-5. Garcia and Baird accounted for two RBI's apiece and Dower and Howard reached base twice on walks. Alex Williamson suffered the loss for the Skyhawks, going three innings, giving up eight hits, six runs (all earned), walking four and striking out three. Salter Greene, Adam Castillo and Casten Reed all made appearances in relief.
Up next
Point will travel to Mobile, Alabama, to face the University of Mobile and Campbellsville Friday and Saturday, Feb. 11 & 12. On Friday, Feb. 11, Point will play Mobile at 1 p.m. and Campbellsville to follow. On Saturday, Feb. 12, the Skyhawks will play Campbellsville at 2:30 p.m. and Mobile at 6 p.m.
