Skyhawks earn sixth AAC series win
WEST POINT, Ga. (April 2, 2022) – The Point University baseball team hosted the Johnson University (Tenn.) Royals Saturday afternoon in the doubleheader portion of the teams' Appalachian Athletic Conference series and split with the Royals, falling 3-2 in game one before winning 9-4 in game two.
Saturday's game two victory helped the Skyhawks clinch the series over Johnson and move to 18-15 overall and 13-5 in AAC play.
Game One: Point 2, Johnson 3
The Royals earned an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Skyhawks answered in the bottom of the second with a single up the middle from Jaysen Dower that scored II Zadod Gabriel (1-1). It would be another four innings until the next run would score, as Johnson added a run in both the seventh and eighth innings to increase their lead 3-1. The Skyhawks were able to cut into Johnson's lead in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single from Kevin Howard, but that was all the run production the Skyhawks could manage as they dropped game two of the series.
Point connected for six hits and was led by Howard, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI, and Dower, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Jakobe Smith accounted for one hit.
Austin Tebo took the mound for the Skyhawks and pitched eight innings, giving up three runs (two earned) off five hits, walking three and striking out four. Sage McWaters came in relief and pitched one inning, giving up zero hits and striking out two.
Game Two: Point 9, Johnson 4
The Skyhawks opened game two with a run in the bottom of the first, following an infield groundout that allowed Dillon Brown to score. The Royals answered in the top of the second inning, scoring two runs to take the lead 2-1.
A sacrifice fly from Smith would score Kole Sonnier to tie the game in the bottom of the third, and an infield RBI single from Howard would help Point retake the lead 3-2. The Skyhawks would extend their lead in the same inning with a bases-loaded hit by pitch to Jhamante Woods, allowing Connor Varnum to score (4-2).
Point's offense would stay hot into the next inning, as a sacrifice fly from Francisco Garcia with bases loaded allowed Kole Sonnier to score and Howard connected for his third RBI of the game, with a 2-RBI single, to extend Point's lead out 7-2.
In the top of the sixth, the Royals would attempt to make a late-game comeback, as they posted two runs to bring the score back within three, but Garcia would answer with a double down the left field line to score Smith and Brown. In the top of the seventh, Casten Reed would come in to relieve Chase Raines and get the final three outs to help earn the series victory for Point.
The Skyhawks combined for 13 hits and were led by Varnum, who went 3-for-4, Brown, who went 2-for-2, and Garcia, Howard, and Sonnier, each went 2-for-3. Garcia and Howard each had three RBIs.
Raines made his fifth start of the season and earned his fourth win, pitching six innings, giving up four runs (three earned) off six hits, walking one and striking out three.
Up Next
Point will return to action on Tuesday as they travel to Talladega for a single game starting at 2 p.m. EST.
