MEMPHIS-The Christian Brothers University Bucs scored three runs in the first inning and never trailed as they won 8-6 over Lindenwood Sunday afternoon at Nadicksbernd Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• For the fourth time in as many games, the Bucs (2-2) scored in the bottom of the first.
Mickey Smith (Arlington, Tenn./Arlington HS) and
Casey Goodwin (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) were hit by pitches, and
Joe Mattson (Nashville, Tenn./Franklin Road Academy) worked a walk to load the bases.
Jared Cramer (Olive Branch, Miss./DeSoto Central HS) drove in Smith with a groundout, and a
Taylor King (Water Valley, Miss./Water Valley HS) double scored Mattson and Goodwin to give CBU a 3-0 lead.
• Lindenwood (1-2) closed within a run in the top of the second with two runs on three singles and a walk.
• The Bucs added those two runs back to their lead in the bottom of the third. Goodwin walked, and Mattson followed with a single. A two-run double by Cramer gave the Bucs a 5-2 edge.
• The Bucs took advantage of a pair of errors to create a fourth-inning run. Halley singled and moved to second on a wild throw, scoring on a Goodwin single. An error on Goodwin's single moved him to third, but he was stranded there.
• The Lions shaved a run off the CBU lead in the fifth on a triple and a single.
• Lindenwood scored another run in the top of the sixth on a walk and two singles.
• CBU added an insurance run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Halley singled, and Goodwin followed with a four-pitch walk. Mattson followed with an RBI single to give CBU a 7-4 edge.
• The Lions took advantage of three errors and a single to score twice in the top of the seventh to pull within 7-6.
• The Bucs manufactured an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Mickey Smith (Arlington, Tenn./Arlington HS) worked a one-out walk. After moving to third on a pair of wild pitches, he scored on a Halley sacrifice fly to give the Bucs an 8-6 lead.
KEY STATS:
• King was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.
• Halley went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
• Mattson was 2-for-4 with two runs, a walk and one RBI.
• Goodwin went 1-for-1 with three walks, a hit by pitch, two runs and one RBI.
• Cramer went 1-for-3 with a double, a hit by pitch and three RBI.
•
Patrick Gurley (Little Rock, Ark./Catholic HS) went six innings, allowing six runs, four earned, on nine hits and two walks. He struck out five batters.
• Abone earned the save with three scoreless innings. He struck out two batters as he pitched around a pair of hits.
WHAT'S NEXT:
The Bucs return to action Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. as they face Missouri Southern State at USA Stadium.
