GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Brevard College baseball team (1-5) dropped a tightly-contested series finale to Guilford College (3-1), 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at Edgar McBane Field in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Dennis and Foster each registered outings without allowing an earned run, as the pair came on in relief for Matthew Scavotto (0-1). The native of Charlotte, North Carolina let up just one earned run through three innings of work, striking out a batter in the process.
The Tornado offense was led by sophomore outfielder Jack Atkinson, who registered three hits, one run, one RBI, and a stolen base on the afternoon. Daiquon Davenport stole a pair of bases and scored a run for the Tornados, while JJ Wilkes drove in an RBI.
Guilford's Joey Hegeman (1-0) picked up the win for the Quakers in relief, while Tanner Hobbs earned the save by shutting down the Tornados over the final two frames, allowing just one hit while striking out three batters.
Guilford's offense started when the Quakers scored an unearned run on a passed ball, giving GC a 1-0 advantage. Scavotto limited the damage there, forcing back-to-back outs to end the first frame.
The Quakers put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the second frame, loading the bases up. Scavotto forced a line out to center field to preserve the score at 1-0, sending the Tornados bats to the plate in the top of the third inning.
An Atkinson leadoff single was spoiled following three consecutive outs, putting the Guilford offense back up. A pair of errors cost the Tornados in the bottom half of the frame, as the Quakers used an RBI-single to extend their lead to a 2-0 margin.
Brevard strung together a meaningful offensive threat in the top of the fourth inning, taking advantage of a pair of Guilford errors to place runners at second and third with two outs. However, a flyout ended the opportunity, leaving the score 2-0 in favor of the hosts.
Dennis came in to relieve Scavotto, working around a leadoff hit-by-pitch and a single to force two outs. Brevard's defense committed two costly miscues that led to two unearned runs, as the Quakers extended their advantage to 4-0.
Guilford gave one of those runs back in the top of the fifth inning, as a one-out fielding error gave BC its first run of the contest. The Tornados had runners on the corners with one away, but two-straight outs helped the Quakers escape, as the hosts maintained the lead, 4-1.
Davenport led off the top of the sixth frame with a ringing double to right field. Wilkes followed it up with a double of his own, scoring Brevard's second run of the afternoon. Atkinson drove home Wilkes, cutting Guilford's lead to one run at 4-3. Atkinson put himself into scoring position with a stolen base, but a flyout ended BC's most productive offensive frame of the contest.
Johnny Flynn led off the seventh inning with a single, and the senior outfielder moved up to second base after a wild pitch with one out. After Brandon Johnson moved Flynn to third base with a groundout, Davenport drew a two-out walk and stole second base. However, with runners on second and third base, Guilford's Dylan King notched a crucial strikeout to end the scoring threat, leaving the score 4-3 in favor of the hosts.
The Quakers threatened for an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning but were denied when Foster recorded an inning-ending strikeout. Atkinson drew a one-out walk and was replaced on the base paths by Jason Jucker after a fielder's choice, but Guilford's Hobbs ended the top of the eighth with a K.
After two quick outs for the Tornados in the top of the ninth inning, Johnson roped a two-out single to left field and was replaced by pinch-runner Joc Pledger. GC's Hobbs earned his first save of the season with a game-clinching strikeout that wrapped up a series victory for the Quakers.
The Tornados will open up their 2020 home and USA South Conference schedule with a three-day, three-game series at Gil Coan Field. Brevard will play host to defending USA South Regular Season Champ Piedmont College (2-3), with action beginning on Friday, February 21 at 3 p.m.
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-BC-
