LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN-- On a windy day on the mountaintop, the Covenant Scots faced off against the Point University Skyhawks in a single, nine-inning game. The Scots came out on top by a score of 10-1.
With the win, Covenant moves past the .500 mark on the season at 9-8. Point, an NAIA and Appalachian Athletic Conference member, falls to 18-12 with the loss.
After an uneventful inning and a half, Covenant struck first with four runs in the bottom of the second. Sterling Witt had the play of the inning with a single to right field that plated both Chris Rollins and Jonathan Carter.
The Skyhawks followed closely in the top of the third with their lone run of the game. With Trey McKinney on third base, batter Michael Aventurato grounded out to shortstop to allow McKinney to score.
The Scots scored two runs each in the third and fourth inning. After K.C. Simons scored on a wild pitch, Carter doubled home Kurt Wiles to make it 6-1. Will Cleland and Simons each had RBIs in the fourth. In the bottom of the seventh, with runners Carter and Wiles on third and first, David Lockwood nailed a double to center field that sent both runners to home plate to make it 10-1.
Covenant starting pitcher Keith Rice (1-0) was awarded the win after four innings and four strikeouts. Rice also only allowed one run on three hits and 63 pitches. Alec Mitchell, Brian Simons, and Tyler Condrey combined to throw five innings of two-hit ball. Point starter Kelsey Moore (2-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing four earned runs in 1.2 innings.
Carter was 1-for-2 with two runs of his own and one RBI. K.C. Simons followed closely with 2-for-4 and two runs as well as an RBI. Witt went 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs. Lockwood led the Scots in RBIs with his own three and with only a single hit. Wiles ended 1-for-4 but led the Scots with three runs.
The Scots will travel to Demorest, Ga., on Thursday March 22 to play game one of a three game series against GSAC foe Piedmont College. Piedmont is currently ranked No. 9 in Collegiate Baseball's DIII Top 25 and No. 5 in D3Baseball.com's poll. Thursday's game begins at 6 p.m.
