CHESTER, Pa. – After building a 4-0 lead, the baseball team battled rough waters in the middle innings just to fall one run short in a ninth inning comeback as they fell to Widener in the opening game of the series 7-6 at WU Baseball Field on Friday afternoon.
On the Mound
Skylar Albright (Hendersonville, N.C./Hendersonville) finished his start allowing five earned runs on six hits while striking out four in just over five innings of work.
Mason Potter (Ashburn, Va./Stone Bridge) allowed just one hit in the 2.2 innings pitched while providing two strikeouts in relief.
Inside the Batter's Box
Kamari Chisolm (Gainesville, Va./Bishop O'Connell) reached base four times via two walks and two hits.
Cole Sims (Elkton, Md./Saint Mark's) had two RBIs on a homer and a walk.
AJ Haines (Arlington, Va./Bishop O'Connell) had two base hits and two walks while scoring once.
How it Happened
The Blazers with Chisolm in the six-spot lining a single up the middle to place the lead-off hitter on.
Cole Sims (Elkton, Md./Saint Mark's) would lay a bunt to the pitcher to move Chisolm and later the first-year would swipe third.
Landon Vile (Luray, Va./Luray) would be a job doer and hit a ball deep enough to the outfield to score the Blazers' first run.
After a hit in his first at-bat, the chivalrous Broughton laid down a bunt to move the runners into scoring position in the third inning. With the possibility of two runners left in scoring position, Seely came through with single over the third baseman to score two more. Chisolm struck again with a double that hooked just inside the third base bag to trade places with Seely to extend the lead to four.
Widener answered with a run in the bottom of the third, but Albright worked a full count with the bases loaded and two-outs and generated a swing-and-miss to end the threat.
The host Pride went swinging and this time connected to cut the deficit to one with two unearned runs in the fourth inning.
After a scoreless fifth, Sims belted a homer over the 30-foot wall in left field on the first pitch to tack on another run at 5-3.
Widener responded immediately in the bottom half of the sixth. The Pride used two hits, a walk, and an error to score four runs, turning a two-run deficit into a 7–5 advantage.
Hood threatened late, limiting Widener to just one hit over the final three innings thanks to relief pitcher Potter after a tough sixth.
In the ninth, the Blazers mounted one final rally.
Amrit Brown (Asheville, N.C./Asheville) and Seely singled, and Chisolm drew a walk to load the bases. Sims followed with another key at-bat, working a bases-loaded walk to force in a run trim the deficit to 7–6. However, Hood was unable to bring home the tying run, stranding three runners to end the game with a flyout.
Notes
Hood falls to 15-18, 9-7 in conference play.
Widener improves to 16-16, 10-6 in conference play.
Up Next
The squad will host the Pride in Frederick to finish the series with a Saturday doubleheader with first pitch set for noon. Senior Day festivities will be held pregame at FCC.
