ROME, Ga. – Centre scored four runs in the third inning and Aidan Carr tossed five-plus innings of relief for the win, the Colonels second of the day, in a 4-3 victory against Trinity in the SAA Baseball Championships here Thursday at Advent Health Stadium.
The Colonels (29-13) advance to the winner’s bracket to face the winner of Thursday’s last game between Rhodes and Berry at 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday. Trinity takes on the loser of that contest at 1:15 p.m. ET.
Trinity (23-18) plated single runs in the first and second innings before the Colonels gained the lead in the third inning with four runs on three hits and the aid of two Tigers errors.
Ben Prather was hit to leadoff and Aaron Lopez singled with one out before a run-scoring single to left by Evan Weyler. Chase Austin grounded to first but the ball bounced past Trinity’s Will Baker into rightfield, plating a run.
Baylor Woodall was hit, loading the bases, and Graham Johnson singled home a run. Forrest Day’s line drive to left scored another, giving the Colonels a 4-2 edge.
Khalfani Coney doubled down the leftfield line to start the seventh for Trinity and went to third on Evan Kuhl’s sacrifice bunt. He scored on Kaleb Woodward’s hard grounder up the middle, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
The Tigers got the tying run in scoring position in the eighth and ninth innings. Baker walked to stat the eighth but was stranded at second and Michael Lustina singled to start the ninth but was left at third to end the contest.
Trinity managed just five hits against Centre starter Isaac Rone and Carr. Rone worked 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Carr (2-0) worked 5.1 innings for the win, giving up one run on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Tigers starter Brandon Morio (2-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits in 2.2 innings. Kyle Hoggatt tossed a season-best 6.1 shutout innings of relief, giving up three hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
Lopez and Woodall each posted two hits for Centre, who collected just eight hits in the win.
Trinity struck first with a leadoff single in the first inning from Woodward and moved to second and third on groundouts before an RBI single from Grant Anderson.
Lustina walked with one out in the second inning for the Tigers and Coney drew a free pass with two outs. Both runners stole and Lustina came across on a groundout by Kuhl for a 2-0 Trinity advantage.
Trinity threatened in the fourth thanks to a two-out walk to Coney and Kuhl was hit, but Woodward lined out to deep right on the first pitch against Carr to end the inning.
Baker walked to leadoff the eighth for the Tigers and moved to second on Grant Anderson’s sac bunt. Lopez made a diving stop on a hard grounder up the middle by Mattias Rytting, getting the runner at first with a strong throw to end the inning with Centre still in front.
Lustina singled in the six-hole to start the ninth and went to second on Coney’s sac bunt. Pinch-hitter Thomas Moss grounded out to short and Woodward flied out to right to end the game.