BRISTOL, Tenn. -- The Scots endured another slow start but opened the game up in the fifth inning to advance past Mid-Continent University in Thursday's Mid-East regional match-up. After losing their one-run lead in the third, the Scots responded with a 7-run fifth where they dismantled MCU's pitching staff with 6 singles, a double, and a 3-run home run by Taylor Oldham. Covenant will play King College on Friday at 12:00 p.m. with a 3:00 p.m. match-up with either King or Bluefield College to follow if the Scots are victorious.
The Scots took the lead in the third when Harrison Fisher provided a two out single, then came around to score on a Luke Furuto double. Half an inning later, Mid-Continent's Lance Davis sent a 3-1 pitch over the left field wall to tie the game. But Covenant starter Andre Glover answered the home run by retiring the next 8 hitters. By the time the Cougars earned another base-runner, the Scots had taken a 7-run lead.
Glover pitched 6 innings, walked 4, struck out 2, and allowed only 3 hits, all on 85 pitches.
In Covenant's fifth, freshman
Chris Rollins had 2 hits as the Scots batted around the order, sending 13 hitters to the plate.
Luke Furuto added 2 more RBIs that inning and helped put the Scots back in the lead.
James Rollins had an RBI double, Oldham had 3 RBIs off his home run, and
Kurtis Wiles,
Chris Rollins, Fisher, Oldham,
James Rollins, Furuto, and
David Lockwood all scored.
Brian Simons pitched in relief of Glover. He allowed 1 hit and struck out 1 in his single inning of work.
A victory for King College in today's late game against Bluefield College will mean the Scots must defeat the Tornado twice tomorrow. A victory for Bluefield later today will mean the Scots must beat King in tomorrow's early game, then Bluefield after that.
Other related links:
Live Stats (for Covenant's games)
Bracket
