MEMPHIS-Twice in the seventh inning, the Christian Brothers University Bucs were one strike away from taking a seven-inning run-rule loss to visiting Shorter, but they came within three runs with the tying run on deck before dropping an 11-8 decision Saturday at Nadicksbernd Field.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• The Hawks (23-23, 12-20 GSC) used a two-out single and a double to plate a run in the top of the first, setting up a pitchers' duel as neither team would score again until the sixth inning.
• Shorter exploded for eight runs in the sixth on two walks, two doubles and six singles to extend their lead to 9-0.
• CBU (15-34, 9-24) shaved a run off the deficit in the bottom of the inning. Taylor Angley-Holman (Redding, Calif./Enterprise HS) singled with two out, and Casey Goodwin (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) scored him with a double to center.
• The Hawks used a single, a triple and a sacrifice fly to score twice and extend their lead to 11-1 in the top of the seventh.
• The Bucs' seventh started slowly, with Riley Kilgore (Cordova, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) drawing a one-out walk, and back-to-back two-out walks to Scott Pala (Hernando, Miss./Hernando HS) and Nathan Sanford (Jackson, Mich./Hanover-Horton HS) loaded the bases for Mickey Smith (Arlington, Tenn./Arlington HS), who kept the game alive with a hard-hit grounder deflected by the pitcher that the shortstop was unable to throw Smith out on. Angley-Holman was hit by a pitch to bring in another run, and Goodwin smoked a two-run single to right-center to cut the deficit to 11-5 before the inning ended.
• CBU scored twice more in the eighth. Joe Mattson (Nashville, Tenn./Franklin Road Academy) opened the inning with a double to right-center, scoring when Trey Keppen (Germantown, Tenn./Germantown HS) singled up the middle with one away. Pala's RBI single scored Keppen. An error and a wild pitch brought Pala to third, but a flyout ended the inning.
• The Bucs added one more two-out run in the bottom of the ninth, when Taylor King (Water Valley, Miss./Water Valley HS) launched a long solo homer to center. Mattson followed with a single, but the game ended when Kilgore's towering fly ball to deep left was caught just in front of the fence.

KEY STATS:
• Mattson went 4-for-4 with a double and a run.
• Goodwin was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI.
• Angley-Holman went 1-for-3 with a walk, a hit by pitch, a run and one RBI as the only non-senior in the CBU lineup Saturday.
• Pala was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run and one RBI.
• Keppen went 1-for-4 with a run and one RBI.
• King was 1-for-5 with a homer, a run and one RBI. He also threw a scoreless ninth, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
• Smith went 1-for-5 with a run and one RBI.
• Patrick Gurley (Little Rock, Ark./Catholic HS) took the loss despite allowing one run on three hits and two walks, striking out six in four and two-thirds innings.
• Kyle Raburn (Millington, Tenn./Evangelical Christian School) threw an inning and a third of scoreless relief, with three strikeouts against two walks.

SENIOR DAY:
CBU honored its 12 seniors in pregame ceremonies: Ryan Abone (Germantown, Tenn./Houston HS), Casey Goodwin (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS), Patrick Gurley (Little Rock, Ark./Catholic HS), Michael Halley (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS), Trey Keppen (Germantown, Tenn./Germantown HS), Riley Kilgore (Cordova, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS), Taylor King (Water Valley, Miss./Water Valley HS), Joe Mattson (Nashville, Tenn./Franklin Road Academy), Matthew Mills (Memphis, Tenn./First Assembly Christian School), Scott Pala (Hernando, Miss./Hernando HS), Nathan Sanford (Jackson, Mich./Hanover-Horton HS) and Mickey Smith (Arlington, Tenn./Arlington HS).