FERRUM, Va. -- The Covenant baseball team scored three runs in the first but saw host Ferrum rally for the second time in the series as the Panthers took the rubber match of the USA South series 6-5 on Saturday afternoon at Panther Field.
Covenant drops to 10-17 on the year and 7-11 in league play. Ferrum goes to 19-12 overall and 14-10 in the USA South.
In the three-run first, KC Simons and Will Cleland led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Following a walk to Scott Gillespie, Caleb Bloye singled home Simons to give the Scots a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Perry Rigby made it 3-0 with a two-run single to left field that plated Cleland and Gillespie.
Ferrum chipped away at the Scots' lead scoring single runs in the second, third and fifth innings off Covenant starter Spencer Smith. Smith would last five innings allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits and the right-hander received a no-decision.
Much like in Friday's first game, the seventh inning was a big one for the Panthers. Ferrum scored three runs on four hits to break a 3-3 tie and go ahead 6-3. Adam Duncan delivered a go-ahead, two-run single to center field giving Ferrum a 5-3 edge and the Panthers would add one more in the frame.
Covenant answered with a run in the eighth on Luke Harvey's RBI single to center field that scored Will Carlton. In the ninth, the Scots made it 6-5 on another RBI single from Bloye but could not get the tying run across.
Carlton (0-2) gets the loss on the mound as he allowed a run on a hit in his one inning of relief. Bloye went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and Rigby added a hit and two RBIs. Harvey finished 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The teams combined for 23 hits in the contest, but none of them went for extra-bases.
Ferrum starter Tyler Belcher (3-0) gets credit for the win as he last seven innings allowing three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts. Jared Talley picked up his seventh save of the year, and second of the series, as he came on to get the final out in the ninth.
Covenant will travel to face Sewanee on non-conference action on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. EDT.
Be sure to follow the Scots all season long on athletics.covenant.edu and on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news and other information.
