Wiley College opened the 2019 season taking a doubleheader over Arlington Baptist University 6-1 and 7-1 on Friday starting the season 2-0. The season opener marked the first time the Wildcats have won their opening game since 2016. The win came from starters on the mound and in relief as both produced ground outs and strikeouts which prevented base runners from reaching base.
Wiley’s game one starter, Brandon Bilnoski threw three-innings, gave up only one run limiting Arlington Baptist to three hits. In relief, Noah Whitted pitched three-innings and struck out two batters. Freshman closer Joe O’Bryant got the save in starting his collegiate baseball career. In game one, seven players had hits for the Wildcats.
In the second game, Wiley College jumped out to a 3-0 lead as six Wildcats collected seven hits before plating the game’s final four runs in its 7-1 win. For the second time, Wiley’s pitching held up strong by only allowing Arlington Baptist one run on three hits.
In Jarvis Christian’s season opening game, the Bulldogs found themselves behind early, but it turned into a slugfest. After the first inning, Sterling College and Jarvis Christian were tied at zero. But in the second inning, Sterling exploded taking a 6-0 lead capped off by a 2-run home run.
In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Jarvis returned the favor to tie the game up at 6-6. Both teams could not plate runs until Jarvis Christian open the top of the 5th inning taking a 7-6 lead over Sterling. The Warriors add a run to tie the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the 6th inning.
Sterling took a 8-7 lead over Jarvis on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 7th inning, but Jarvis bounced right back with a base hit up the middle to tie the game at 8-8. Both teams traded runs until the Bulldogs added two in the top of the 8th inning and held on for the 10-9 win, starting their season 1-0.
Edward Waters opened the season losing both scheduled doubleheader games against No. 25 Keiser University as fielding miscues cost unearned runs to cross the plate.
In game one, Keiser scored its first run of the season on a one-out sacrifice fly after back to back hits put runners on second and third for the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, Keiser took advantage of a dropped routine fly ball by Edward Waters’ Kellen Washington and back to back singles that led to three unearned runs and a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
The fifth inning saw the Seahawks plate five runs with no outs and then Keiser loaded the bases with two straight back to back hits up the middle to make the score 7-0. The next two runs came across on a EWC fielder’s choice play at the plate and a Drew Reilly’s single for a 9-0 lead. Keiser would add two more runs in the bottom of the 6th inning for the 11-0 win.
Edward Waters pitchers in game one allowed 11 runs on 13 hits. Keiser starter Chad Tworek got the win while Tigers starter Kamau Richardson suffered the defeat.
In game two, more costly errors were the downfall of the Tigers. Freshman starter Levi Sigler, who pitched a gem in his first collegiate start, could not overcome three fielding miscues that led to a Keiser 3-1 win.
In the second inning with two on and one out, a throwing error by the Tigers’ shortstop Kenshawn Herring on an attempted double-play, allowed the Seahawks to score for a 1-0 lead. Edward Waters got on the scoreboard on a lead-off triple by Keilin Washington followed by a double to right-center field for the Tigers first run of the season knotting the score at 1-1. In the top of the 4th inning, an RBI double-play allowed Keiser to plate another unearned run for a 2-1 lead.
Sigler, for four straight innings allowed the lead-off batters to reach first base, but kept the Tigers in the game. In the fifth, Keiser scored on a sacrifice fly to center when a base runner reached on a leadoff walk for the 3-1 lead.
In the top of the 7th inning, EWC threatened when Kenshawn Herring doubled to center field and moved to third on an infield groundout to the pitcher. The next batter struck out swinging on a 3-2 count leaving a runner stranded for the Keiser 3-1 doubleheader sweep.