BUENA VISTA, Va. - The Brevard College baseball team (6-13, 2-1 USA South) won its first two USA South Conference games of 2025, holding on for a 6-4 win in game one before jumping out early and taking a 10-5 triumph in the second game of the day and series finale against host Southern Virginia University (3-10, 1-2 USAS) on Saturday afternoon.
GAME ONE: BREVARD 6, SOUTHERN VIRGINIA 4
Both sides went down without much resistance through two frames. BC's Hunter Busque drew a one-out walk in the top of the third, and a single by CP Pyle put two runners on with two outs. SVU was able to get a critical strikeout to stop any damage.
An error and single with one out in the bottom of the third set up a two-RBI double that broke the scoreless tie up. After another single, a wild pitch with two outs proved costly as the Knights tacked on another run to take a 3-0 lead a third of the way through.
BC hit into two quick outs in the top of the fourth before a Frankie Vasquez single, but the senior from Pembroke Pines, Florida was left stranded on the basepaths. SVU got a runner to second after a sacrifice bunt, but the Tornados turned an inning-ending double play on a catch by Pyle and tag from Logan Sawyer.
The Tornado offense kickstarted into gear in the top of the fifth when Busque was hit by a pitch with one out. Lucas Granata then doubled, and the bottom of the order fed the top when Pyle collected an RBI on a fielding error that scored Busque, trimming the deficit to 3-1. Jennings then smacked a double down the left-field line that allowed Granata to score. Althouh Pyle was cut down at the plate advancing, Logan Sawyer came up big with an RBI single that put Jennings across the plate and tied things up, 3-3.
Jacob Thompson (1-1) came on in relief of freshman right-hander Colin Weathers in the bottom of the fifth. Weathers' day finished with four innings of work, allowing five hits and three runs (one earned run) with three walks and four strikeouts. Thompson gave up a one-out double, but struck out a pair of Knights to keep the score tied at three runs apiece through five.
BC kept the good vibes rolling in the top of the sixth as Luke Morton hit back-to-back singles, and an error in the outfield allowed them both to advance a base, putting runners on second and third with one away. Busque then lofted a fly ball to left that brought Morton in to score, giving the Tornados their first lead of the afternoon, 4-3.
The Tornados struck for two in the top of the seventh, as Pyle led things off with a single followed by a Jennings RBI double. Sawyer moved Jennings over on a sacrifice fly, and then Cale Oehler pushed Jennings across with an RBI groundout, putting the Nados up by three at the seventh-inning stretch, 6-3.
Southern Virginia fought back in the bottom-half of the frame, however, loading the bases with nobody out. A sacrifice fly made the score 6-4, but the Tornados prevented further damage as Thompson recorded a strikeout and forced a grounder to second to end the seventh with BC still up by two.
After a scoreless eighth by both sides, the matchup shifted to the ninth inning as Brevard maintained its 6-4 lead. Pyle recorded a leadoff single, but was stranded. Thompson re-entered to close off the contest in the bottom of the ninth, where the Knights threatened with one out after back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases. The Gray, Georgia senior RHP delivered for the Tornados, forcing an infield fly and ended the game by teaming up with Oehler for a 3-1 putout that clinched BC's first USA South win of 2025.
Thompson earned his first win of the season and 11th of his collegiate career, throwing the final five innings with five hits and no earned runs. The senior struck out six Knight batters in his five frames of work as well.
Pyle continued his good work at the dish, notching his second three-hit performance of the season. Jennings added a pair of doubles and two runs scored in a 2-for-5 performance, with Grant, Granata, Morton, Logan Sawyer, and Vasquez all recording base hits in the game.
GAME TWO: BREVARD 10, SOUTHERN VIRGINIA 5
Brevard's offense continued its upward trend in the series finale and rubber match, as the Tornados totaled their second-most hits (14) of the season and scored double-digit runs (10) for the fifth time in 2025. Additionally, nine different Tornados recorded base knocks in the contest.
Morton went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, as the Wake Forest, N.C. native has recorded hits in seven-straight contests. Granata, Jennings, and Pyle all had two hits apiece, while Vasquez smacked his second home run of the season and 12th of his career - extending his team-leading hit streak to 13 games.
On the basepaths, Morton stole twice and Tyler Kelson added a stolen bag as well.
Jordan Searcy (2-4) went five innings with four hits and three runs allowed, striking out a season-high seven batters to secure his second win in a Tornado uniform. Hatcher Bailey, Matthew Evans, Andy Fahringer, and Jacob Wilde all came on in relief to get through the final four frames.
Each side went scoreless in the first two innings before a game-altering top of the third for the Tornados. Jennings drove in Busque on a sacrifice fly to get the scoring started. Sawyer then singled home Granata just before an RBI double by Oehler made it a 3-0 contest. Vasquez then brought Sawyer around on a sacrifice fly of his own and then Morton logged an RBI single, stole second, and scored on a Knight error to cap off the six-run frame.
BC's offense wasn't done quite yet, as Jennings drove in Pyle on an RBI single in the top of the fourth to put the Tornados up 7-0. The Knights got on the board in the bottom-half of the inning, however the Tornados still led by a six-run cushion after four.
Granata tacked on a run, plating Morton with an RBI single in the fifth, and Vasquez put BC up by nine with a two-run shot in the top of the sixth.
The lead would prove to be insurmountable for the Knights, and despite four runs in the final four innings, it was too much to overcome as Brevard took the series win with the 10-5 triumph.
Brevard makes its long-awaited return to Gil Coan Field after playing its last games away from home, as the Tornados take on Toccoa Falls on Wednesday, March 19 at 3:30 p.m. to finish a series off from earlier in the season.
To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter/Instagram @BCTornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube and SoundCloud, and follow 'Brevard College Tornado Athletics' on Facebook. In addition, follow 'brevardcollege' on Flickr for photos from BC events.
-BC-
