LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Behind a strong 6.2 innings from starting pitcher Jackson Miles, visiting Brescia University defeated Covenant 12-5 in baseball action on a bitterly cold Friday afternoon.
The loss snaps a five-game winning streak for Covenant (7-2). Brescia improves to 3-8 on the season.
Miles held Covenant's potent offense in check all afternoon. The right-hander allowed just one run while scattering seven hits and striking out eight as he earned his first victory of the season.
Covenant got its lone run off Miles in the sixth inning. Will Cleland lofted a one-out double to left field and then scored on a Scott Gillespie double. Even with that run, the Scots still trailed 7-1 after six innings.
The Scots scored four runs, all with two outs, off two different Brescia relievers in the ninth but with Brescia's 12-1 lead going into the inning the game was all but over. Two fielding errors by the Brescia first baseman allowed the inning to continue as Gillespie drove home a pair of runs with a single and David Lockwood earned an RBI base on balls.
Brescia scored single runs in both the first and second innings. Hank Stewart doubled home a run in the first, while Tim Adams added an RBI single in the second to give the Bearcats a 2-0 lead. Brescia tacked on four runs in the third inning, with three runs coming off a Christian McHatton bases-clearing double, as the visitors took a 6-0 lead.
McHatton finished 4-for-6 with a home run and four RBIs on the day for Brescia. Jordan Rhodes tallied three hits, whie Nate Crocker went 2-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored.
Covenant starter Keith Rice (0-1) is hit with the loss as he lasted two-plus innings giving up six runs on seven hits. Spencer Smith threw five innings in relief and allowed just two solo home runs. Tyler Condrey made his first appearance of the season as he tossed the final two innings.
Covenant's offense was led by a 2-for-4 effort from Gillespie who also drove in three runs. Cleland, Chris Rollins, and Paul Phillips each had two hits for the Scots.
Covenant and Brescia will play a doubleheader tomorrow, weather permitting. Game one is set for 12 p.m.
