BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University baseball team hosted Southern Wesleyan University on Saturday. King was able to win both games winning game one 5-4 and game two 8-2. Hunter Barbour had a day for the Tornado offense driving in five runs on four doubles.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 5, Southern Wesleyan 4; King 8, Southern Wesleyan 2
LOCATION: King Baseball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 6-8, Conference Carolinas 2-2; Southern Wesleyan 7-9, Conference Carolinas 1-3
SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
- Barbour leads the way going 5-for-8 on the day with four doubles and five RBI.
- Kevin Barbato went 3-for-5 in game two driving in two.
- Joe Cottone records first career save.
- George Helbig tosses seven innings only allowing one run.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- The Tornado got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning started off by an Austin Meyer double over the centerfielders head.
- Meyer would advance to third base on a Barbato ground ball to second and eventually score on a passed ball to give King a 1-0 lead
- Valdes followed with a hit by a pitch and was brought in by a Barbour double to push the King lead to 2-0.
- After a scoreless second inning, the Tornado would add another run in the third off a Barbour double once again scoring Valdes who hit a double before him as well.
- The Warriors would answer in the top of the fifth with Jarred Jones started it off with a single.
- After a walk Jones was able to score on a miscue by the Tornado defense.
- A Warrior double and fielder's choice was able to give Southern Wesleyan a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the inning.
- In the bottom half of the fifth Meyer led it off with a line drive through the right side and would eventually end up on third base due to two wild pitches.
- Southern Wesleyan would have a defensive miscue of their own in which Meyer scored and Kevin advanced to second base.
- Barbour would single through the right side to drive in Barbato and give King the lead once again 5-4.
- King would hold on to the lead for the remainder of the game and take the game 5-4.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Rob Sari (1-0) 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Losing Pitcher: Bryson Fowler (0-1) 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Save: Cottone (1) 0.2 IP, 0 H,0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- King would strike first again in game two with Barbato starting off the inning with a single.
- After a Valdes walk, Barbato would score on a failed pickoff attempt by Jarred Jones.
- King would draw a walk and a pass ball would score Valdes and push King to third base.
- A David Carnicella infield RBI single would cap the opening inning for the Tornado to give them the early 3-0 lead.
- Southern Wesleyan would answer in the top half of the fifth inning on a sacrifice squeeze bunt by Sean Sutay.
- King would respond in the bottom half of the inning with a Barbour double down the right-field line where Valdes eventually scored on a throwing error from the second baseman Julio Justo.
- The Tornado would add four insurance runs in the sixth inning headed by back to back doubles from Barbato and Barbour to balloon the King lead 8-1.
- Southern Wesleyan would add a run in the top of the eighth but the game was already out of reach as the Tornado took game two 8-2.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Helbig (2-1) 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
Losing Pitcher: Jarred Jones (1-2) 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Conner Ewing went 3-for-7 on the day an RBI.
UP NEXT
- King returns to the field on Wednesday when they host Bluefield College. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
- Southern Wesleyan travels to Truett-McConnell University on Tuesday.
