DANVILLE, Ky. – The Brevard College baseball team (1-8) fell 17-2 to Carthage College (1-1) before dropping a 10-5 decision to Centre College (4-1) on Sunday afternoon in Danville, Kentucky.
 
Carthage was able to win in seven innings via run rule in the first game of the day. In the second game, Centre opened an 8-1 lead up before BC rallied with four runs in the final two innings, cutting the deficit to a five-run margin. However, the effort was too late as the Colonels wrapped the five-run win up to earn the two-game series sweep.
   
Carthage struck first, taking advantage of an early Tornado error to plate two runs via RBI singles in the top of the first. Two HBP and a single loaded the bases for the Firebirds in the top of the second, and a sacrifice fly extended the lead out to a 3-0 margin. BC got a pair of runners on in the bottom of the frame, but a groundout ended the threat.
 
A one-out walk in the top of the fourth led to an RBI double in the next at-bat, followed by an RBI single as the Firebirds went up 5-0. Brevard's first run of the ballgame came in the bottom half of the frame when Cale Oehler's leadoff double was followed by a wild pitch. The senior Tornado came around to score on a double play, cutting the deficit to four.
 
Carthage found three more runs in the top of the fifth, taking a seven-run lead at 8-1. Easton King was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, bringing Logan Sawyer in to score, but that was all the Tornados could muster in the bottom of the fifth after Brevard stranded the bases loaded.
 
Carthage broke the contest completely open in the top of the sixth, scoring a whopping eight runs without an out being recorded to extend the margin out to 14 runs, 16-2. The Firebirds tacked on one more run in the top of the seventh and shut BC down in the bottom of the inning to finish off the 15-run win.
   
Centre jumped out to the early advantage in the bottom of the first, tagging Colin Weathers for a leadoff solo home run. The Colonels added to the lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI single and a double steal that plated another run, as Centre took a 3-0 edge through two innings played.
 
BC gained some momentum offensively in the top of the third after a one-out error and HBP by the Colonels, but a double play halted the scoring chance for the Tornados. Centre responded with a one-out triple and an RBI double to extend its lead up to a four-run margin through three innings.
 
The Tornados were able to scratch across their first run of the ballgame in the top of the fourth inning. Hayden Jennings drew a walk and was advanced over to second following an unassisted groundout by Oehler. Jennings then took third on a wild pitch before Adam Newcomb brought the senior catcher in on a sacrifice fly.
 
Centre launched another solo shot in the bottom of the fifth inning, then added two more runs on RBI singles to begin to pull away from Brevard, 7-1. The Tornados put together one of their best scoring opportunities of the afternoon with consecutive singles to lead off the top of the sixth inning, but the effort was thwarted by a lineout and a double play.
 
Hatcher Bailey entered the contest for the Tornados and promptly retired the next Colonels in order. BC then went down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh as Centre maintained its six-run advantage. Centre was able to then tack on a run in the bottom of the seventh as the hosts took a game-high seven-run lead.
 
Andrew Bernard and Sawyer drew leadoff walks in the top of the eighth ahead of Frankie Vasquez, who drilled a two-RBI double to right-center that cut the deficit to five runs. Centre answered in the bottom of the inning with two runs of its own, pushing the lead back to seven.
 
The Tornados drew three one-out walks consecutively in the top of the ninth to put pressure on the Colonels. Vasquez drove in CP Pyle on a fielder's choice ahead of Jennings' RBI single that made it a 10-5 game, but the hosts closed the door on the rally by forcing a flyout.
 
The Tornados will look to get back on track next weekend, as Brevard returns to Gil Coan Field for a doubleheader against Guilford on Saturday, March 1 beginning at 12 p.m.
 
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