MAYFIELD, Ky. -- Mid-Continent's Richard Arias hit a tiebreaking, two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to lift the Cougars to a 3-2 win over Covenant on Thursday afternoon at the NCCAA Mid-East Region Tournament. The loss eliminates the Scots from the tournament. Mid-Continent moves on to face Bluefield College needing to beat the Rams twice to win the region.
Covenant (24-20) will now have to wait and see if they are selected as an at-large for the NCCAA Baseball National Championships in Mason, Ohio, on May 16-19.
The Scots broke out on top 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning. Jonathan Carter led off with a single and was pinch run for by Tyler Baker. Baker stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball before scoring on a Will Cleland RBI ground out.
Mid-Continent tied the game in the fourth inning on Trevor Buford's run-scoring single that plated Joseph Blair. In the sixth, Arias launched a two-run homer over the left field fence to break the 1-1 tie.
Covenant loaded the bases in the bottom half of the sixth inning with one out, but only managed one run. Carter hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored James Rollins, but the Cougars threw out Paul Phillips trying to advance to second to end the inning.
Covenant starting pitcher Demarius Johnson had a strong outing as he went five innings and surrendered one run on four hits, while striking out five. Reliever Alec Mitchell (2-1) picks up the loss going two innings and giving up one earned run. Seth McCabe (5-2) gets the win for the Cougars with five innings of work and allowing two runs on six hits. Hunter Burge was credited with a two-inning save.
James Rollins went 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Scots with Carter and Cleland driving in a run each. Daniel Edwards and Blair each had two hits for the Cougars.
