The William Carey baseball team completed a three-game sweep of Brewton-Parker on Saturday, taking both games of the doubleheader by scores of 8–1 and 6–5 at Milton Wheeler Field.
Game 1: Carey 8, Brewton-Parker 1
William Carey struck early and never looked back in the opener, using a decisive third inning to pull away for an 8–1 victory.
After manufacturing a run in the first on Jayden Mark's RBI groundout, the Crusaders broke the game open in the third. With two outs, Hays Carley jump-started the rally with an RBI double down the left-field line. Mark followed with an RBI single before Taylor Walters added an RBI double to extend the lead.
Cam Senior then drove a two-run double into the right-center gap, forcing a pitching change, and Gage Hinnant capped the inning with a two-run double to left-center to give Carey an 8–0 advantage.
That was more than enough support for starter Dylan Wallace, who limited the Barons to three hits through the first five innings. Brewton-Parker plated its lone run in the sixth, but reliever Caleb Ougel shut down the threat by inducing a double play and a groundout before working a scoreless seventh to secure the win.
Carley, Mark, Walters, Senior, and Hinnant all drove in runs, with Senior and Hinnant each recording two RBIs during the pivotal third inning.
Game 2: Carey 6, Brewton-Parker 5
The nightcap proved far more dramatic, as Carey rallied late to earn a 6–5 victory.
The Crusaders opened the scoring in the first inning when Hinnant led off with a single and later moved into scoring position following a walk to DeeJay Booth and a successful double steal. Carley delivered the game's first run with a sacrifice fly, and Mark followed with an RBI single to give WCU a 2–0 lead.
Brewton-Parker answered in the third without recording a hit, capitalizing on an error and two walks. Michael Son drew a bases-loaded walk, and a passed ball allowed another run to score, tying the game at 2–2.
The Barons briefly took the lead in the fourth as Jeremi Lara scored on Jack Morris' RBI double, but Carey responded immediately. Alan McClean singled up the middle to drive in Nic Arender and knot the game at 3–3.
After a scoreless fifth, Carey regained the lead in the sixth with four consecutive singles from Hinnant, Booth, Carley, and Mark to go up 5–3. Brewton-Parker refused to go quietly, however, as Fred Diaz brought home a run with a groundout in the seventh before Son launched a solo home run to right field to tie the game at 5–5.
The decisive moment came in the bottom of the eighth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Tyler Ducksworth worked a five-pitch walk to force in the go-ahead run. Jimmie Johnson then retired the Barons in order in the ninth to seal the sweep.
Carey returns to action Tuesday, March 24, traveling to New Orleans, La., for a non-conference matchup with Southern University of New Orleans. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
