Atlanta, GA- The Covenant College baseball team made the short journey south to Atlanta Christian on Tuesday in hopes of rediscovering its winning form and breaking away from the sub-par 7-7 record it had obtained over the past few weeks of the young season. In the Scots' path stood the 12-16 Atlanta Christian Hawks, who were also looking to regain momentum after splitting a series with Huntingdon College the weekend prior.
Sterling Witt started the game on the mound for the Scots, whose initial batting rotation in the top of the 1st failed to produce a single hit. Witt then surrendered a 2 run homer in the bottom of the inning to give Atlanta Christian an early 2-0 lead. The trio of Furuto, Carlson, and Carter were next at bat for the Scots as they began the 2nd inning, but the three failed to record a hit as Covenant went both scoreless and hitless for the second straight inning. The Hawks' Jeff Mitchell then added to Covenant's early-game misery by scoring a home run over the center field fence on a 3-2 count, but Witt was able to respond by striking out the next three Atlanta Christian batters in quick succession. After a scoreless 3rd inning, the Hawks once again found hits off of Witt pitches, cranking out a 2 run homer and a double to add three runs to their 3-0 tally.
Down 6-0, the Scots needed to swing the momentum of the game, and they were able to do that as hits by Carlson, Carter, Oldham, and Wiles saw the team score 3 runs in the top of the 5th. After striking out the opening two batters in the top of the 5th, Witt then surrendered his seventh run of the game after allowing back to back doubles. A Covenant error then allowed Atlanta Christian to score their eighth, and Rob Willett entered the game to replace Witt on the mound.
Covenant's batting problems were also continuing, as the team managed only one hit through the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings.
With the score standing at 8-3 in the top of 9th, Covenant needed to improve rapidly, as their chances of winning were beginning to slip away. A Will Ogletree single, along with several walks, saw Covenant attain bases loaded with just one out. And, after an errant pitch allowed the Scots to score their 4th run of the game, Taylor Oldham then sent two more runners around home plate with a solid hit. Now down just 8-6 with one out in the inning, it appeared as though the Scots were going to complete the comeback. However, a strikeout in the next at bat, followed by a ground out to the pitcher's mound, saw Atlanta Christian thwart the comeback attempt in the top of the 9th to close out the game.
The loss dropped Covenant to 7-8 on the season, while Atlanta Christian rose to 13-16 on the year. The Scots will now look to return to winning form when they take on Bryan College in Dayton at 6:00 P.M. this Friday. The teams will then follow with a double-header on Saturday beginning at 1:00 P.M.
