It was a valiant effort from the Bruins as the baseball team rallied from a three-run deficit to take the lead in the eight inning, but the Scots ultimately came back to win the game 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth. The Bruins will have two more opportunities at redemption tomorrow in games two and three of the weekend series from Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
"We were out hit tonight, but the team battled the entire time and saw the game tied going into the bottom of the ninth" said Head Coach Brent Casteel. "Covenant got us by one tonight, and we'll be back ready to play tomorrow."
The two schools met in Greenville, South Carolina earlier this season, where they split the series after the Bruins scored five runs in the in the fifth inning to win the March 11 doubleheader 5-4.
Covenant College got off to a quick start in today's game scoring two runs at the bottom of the first inning. They increased their lead to 3-0 after a lead off home run in the bottom of the third inning.
After being held at zero runs through the first three innings, the Bruins would see their first real scoring opportunity of the game. With Zach Burk and Daniel Barcena on second and third and no outs on the board, Conley Burk came up to the plate and hit a two RBI single to bring the score to 3-2.
Three innings would pass without either team scoring and as the game neared the end, the Bruins looked for more. A double from Chad Bayne would score Daniel Barcena to tie the game at three runs apiece. With one out and runners on second and third, Isaiah Brandt would go to the plate looking to give the Bruins the lead. As he ball dropped out to center field, Conley Burk crossed the plate to give the Bruins the first lead of the game.
But in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Scots came back to tie the game.
In the ninth inning and the game tied 4-4, the Bruins looked to get the go ahead run. As Daniel Barcena grounded out at first, Zach Burk would advance to second. With two outs on the board, the Bruins looked to Conley Burk to extend the inning, but after he flied out to right field the game remained knotted going into the bottom of the ninth.
For the final half of the ninth inning, the Bruins turned to pitcher Daniel Williams after a solid eight innings pitched by Henry Wallach.
The Bruins fought until the end, but the Scots found a way and walked off the win to end game one of the series 5-4.
Following today's loss, Bob Jones now sits at 7-25 on the year. The Bruins will face Covenant College in a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 12:00 p.m. in Lookout Mountain, Georgia.
