ADRIAN, Mich. – The Adrian College NCBA Division III baseball team split its home-opening doubleheader and World Series Rematch against John Carroll University on Saturday at Nicolay Field. The Bulldogs rallied for a 9-5 victory in Game 1 before falling 12-1 in six innings in Game 2. Adrian moved to 2-2 on the season.
Game 1: Adrian 9, John Carroll 5
John Carroll scored three runs in the top of the second inning, but Adrian answered in the bottom half. Carson Boike drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored when Tate Wyse reached on an error to cut the deficit to 3-1.
The Bulldogs moved in front with three runs in the third. Nate Lindner walked and Sam Sipe singled before Gage Hreben drove both runners home with a double to left field. Hreben advanced to third on a wild pitch and later scored on a passed ball to give Adrian a 4-3 lead.
Adrian added a run in the fourth after Connor Begley walked and scored on a sacrifice fly from Sipe. John Carroll scored once in the fifth and once in the sixth to even the game at 5-5.
The Bulldogs responded with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Wyse led off with a single before Adam Lashaway moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Lindner and Sipe drew walks to load the bases, and Hreben delivered an RBI single to put Adrian back in front.
Boike followed with a bases-loaded walk before Carson Meister was hit by a pitch to force home another run. Begley completed the rally with an RBI single as the Bulldogs took a 9-5 advantage.
Lindner worked a scoreless seventh inning to close out the victory. He allowed two hits and one unearned run while striking out two over the final two frames. Sipe pitched 3.2 innings in relief and allowed one unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts.
Hreben led the Bulldogs at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Sipe reached base three times and finished with an RBI and two runs, while Begley recorded a hit, two walks, an RBI and a run scored.
Game 2: John Carroll 12, Adrian 1
The teams played through two scoreless innings before John Carroll scored twice in the third. The visitors broke the game open with six runs in the fourth before adding one run in the fifth and three more in the sixth.
Adrian broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Josh Cornett singled and Pedro Rivera drew a walk before Landon Agosta lined an RBI single to right field to bring home the Bulldogs' lone run.
Hreben finished 2-for-3 to record Adrian's only multi-hit performance of the nightcap. Agosta and Cornett added one hit apiece, while Agosta drove in the Bulldogs' run.
Justin Bland started on the mound and allowed two runs on three hits over three innings. Carson Boike struck out three during two innings of relief.
The Bulldogs will return to action on Friday, Sept. 25, when they travel to Battle Creek, Michigan, to face Grand Valley State University. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
