In the series opening game on Friday night, the Bulldogs starting pitcher allowed the Scots only two runs off five hits: Carlson (1-3), Newton (1-3), Whitehead, (2-3), and Hogan (1-4, 2 RBI double). The Scots connected for those two runs in the fourth inning on a two out rally. Carlson started it off by drawing a walk followed by Newton's single to move him over. Sam Hogan then drilled the ball to the right-center gap for the two-RBI double. Unfortunately the Scots' two runs were not enough to match the Bulldog's ten runs, eight of which were scored in the first three innings. However, Nolan Gray came in and threw five shutout innings followed by James Roberts who came in for the final two innings allowing two earned runs. At the end of the day, the Scots began to look forward to carrying the last six innings' momentum into Saturday's doubleheader.
On Saturday afternoon, the Scots took the field hungry for two wins. The bats, however, weren't at their best: Carlson (1-3, RBI), Newton (1-3, double), Hogan (1-3), Fisher (1-2), and J. Frederick (RBI). In the second inning, Newton hit a double followed by Hogan's single. J. Frederick then hit a sac fly to score Newton. The Scots didn't score again until the sixth inning when Fisher singled, O'Ban walked, and Carlson hit the RBI single. The two runs were not enough to top the Bulldogs' five runs four of which came from a grand slam in the second inning. Neas came out of the pen in the fourth inning and shut them down for the remainder of the game with the exception of one earned run. In the end, the Scots couldn't score any more runs for the final score 2-5.
Game three was quite the pitcher's duel. Despite the fast tempo of the opposing pitching, the Scots manufactured two runs: O'Ban (1-2), Carlson (1-3, RBI), Newton (1-3), Duckett (1-1), and Fisher (1-2, RBI). On the mound, Demarius Johnson got the complete-game win striking out four and allowing only one earned run. The first run came from Carlson's fourth inning solo HR. But with a tie game in the bottom of the seventh inning, Duckett came through with the pinch hit single followed by Whitehead's walk. With the winning run on second base, Fisher came to the plate and hit the walk-off base hit for the 2-1 victory.
After winning seven of their last ten games, the Scots look forward to taking it to Tennessee Temple University here on the mountain next Tuesday @ 4 pm. Be sure to come and support the Scots for Senior Night!
