For the first time in school history, Lane College has bested the top ranked HBCU baseball team in the country after picking up a win in Saturday’s doubleheader against No. 1 ranked Kentucky State.
Lane’s 18-3 victory handed the No. 1 Thorobreds, who had held a 4-0 record, its first loss of 2021.The Dragons also won the second game of the doubleheader 5-3.
Treviz Brown (2-0) showed why head coach Patrick Barbour trusts him as his game one starter. The fifth year senior quieted the Thorobreds bats through seven strong innings going the distance in the win, striking out nine and allowing three runs on seven hits. Brown also added two hits and four runs of offense for the Dragons.
The three Kentucky State runs came in the final frame. But Lane’s offense supplied more than enough runs to back Brown’s pitching.
Lane College, the defending HBCU Baseball small school national champs, held the Thorobreds scoreless in the first inning and jumped on the scoreboard, scoring six runs highlighted by a bases clearing triple from first baseman Christian Armstrong who was 2-for-5 and scored three runs with four runs batted in. Both hits were extra base hits… a double and a bases clearing triple in the first inning.
Lane scored five runs in each the third and fifth innings taking advantage of 12 walks in the game.
Zach Elias led the way at the plate, finishing 2-for-2 with a double, three RBI, and three walks. Thomas Arias added three RBI and a home run.
In game two, Kentucky State jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. After Dragon starting pitcher Joel Ballard’s failed pickoff attempt for a throwing error and a walked batter, Brennon Williams doubled down the right field line plating two runs in the opening frame. They would add another run on a fielding error by Lane’s third baseman Melvin Crayton
That was all she wrote.
The Dragons earned one run back in the home half of the first when Chris O’Neal walked and then scored on a wild pitch and two balks. O’Neal’s bat tied the game at 3-3 with a two run scoring single to right-center field in the second inning.
Lane (4-5) added two insurance runs in the fifth inning to seal the 5-3 win.
Joel Ballard (1-1) picked up the win in 5.0 innings of work. Ballard allowed just two hits and one earned run striking out two batters. Zach Elias earned the save in 1.0 inning of relief.
Kentucky State starter Dashawn Hureskin took the loss in 6.0 innings tossed recording nine strikeouts.