Hartsville, S.C. – The Brevard College men’s baseball team opened up their 2008 season on the road on Saturday as they played two games against two different schools in a round robin type tournament.

 

In the first game of the day, the Tornados fell to the host Coker College 14-6, giving up five runs in the fourth. The Tornados bounced back later on in the day to defeat Lander University 16-10, using a 13 run fifth inning to pull ahead of Lander for good in the seven inning contest

 

 

The Tornados jumped out to an early 1-0 lead by way of an RBI double from first-baseman Justin Frady in the first inning which plated Luke Lovelace, but Coker scored three runs in the bottom of the second and never looked back.

 

The Tornados fought back to get within a run, 3-2, after a Lovelace scored again in the top of the third, but that would be as close as Brevard would get, as Coker scored a run of their own in the bottom of the third, and then pushed across five runs in the fourth and four runs in the seventh.

 

Brevard looked to keep things close as they scored a run in the sixth inning from a 390 ft. home run off the bat of designated hitter Seth Corliss, and then plated three runs in the eighth inning putting the score at 13-6 heading into the ninth.

 

Coker tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, for a 14-6 final.

Brevard's, Seth Laughter (0-1) took the loss, allowing nine runs on 12 hits in 3.1 innings of work.

 

The win went to Coker’s Chris Thomas (1-1) as he went six strong innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with five strike outs.

 

For the Tornados, Luke Lovelace, Josh Miller and Mitch Hefner were each 2-for-4, with Hefner hitting a double. Justin Frady was 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI, while Seth Corliss was 1-for-4 with a home run, his first of the season, an RBI and a run scored. Tyler Wilson was 1-for-1 with a triple and three RBIs.

 

Leading the way for the Cobras at the plate was Julio Gomez going 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored, while BK Harfst was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Kyle Walker was 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored and Trey Lynch and Preston Ford were each 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Lynch scored two runs and Ford had a double.

 

Brevard College, which found themselves down 10-0 through five innings, stormed back in the bottom of the fifth with 13 runs to take a 13-10 lead.

 

BC’s Zach Williams led off the fifth with a single to center. Adam Arrowood and Brice Warner would then single up the middle to load the bases. Centerfielder Luke Lovelace would then reach on an error by the second-baseman, knocking in Williams from third. After Josh Miller flied out to right, first-baseman Justin Frady singled through the left side to drive in both Arrowood and Warner. Senior Seth Corliss then doubled to left to drive in both Lovelace and Frady to put the Tornados down only five at 10-5.

 

After back-to-back walks to senior Chris White and shortstop Mitch Hefner reloaded the bases for BC, Williams, hitting for the second time in the inning, doubled to right center plating Corliss and White to cut the Lander lead to three at 10-7.

 

Second baseman Arrowood would then ground out to second base, driving in Hefner from third to cut the lead to one at 10-8.

 

With two outs, Warner drew a base-on-balls which brought up Lovelace who then singled to drive in Williams from third.  After a Josh Miller walk to again load the bases, Frady would then smash the ball 415 feet over the center field wall for a grand slam, giving the Tornados the 13-10 lead.

 

Lander threatened to come back, loading the bases with only one out in the top of the seventh, but the Tornados were battled their way out and held Lander scoreless for the inning.

 

The Tornados then scored three more runs in the bottom of seventh, giving them a 16-10 win over Lander.

 

The Tornados were led by Justin Frady, who was 2-for-5 with a grand slam, six RBIs and two runs scored, all coming in the fifth inning, and fellow senior Seth Corliss, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, four RBIs and two runs scored.

 

For Lander, Robert Skinner was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Gabe McCann was 2-for-5 and Justin King was 2-for-4.

 

Junior right-handed pitcher Brandon Sleezer (1-0) earned the win as he went 2.2 innings allowing no runs on five hits with two strikeouts in relief. 

 

Lander’s Casey Downam (0-1) took the loss.

 

The Tornados (1-1) will back in action tomorrow afternoon, when they will travel down the road to Florence, S.C. to face off with Francis Marion University. The first pitch is slated for 3 p.m.

 

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