DANVILLE, Ky. – Brevard (7-3) split a pair of matchups on Saturday afternoon, outlasting Wheaton (1-6) in a slugfest before the hosts, No. 13 Centre (7-1), used a hot start to down the Tornados in seven innings.

Brevard 12, Wheaton 10

Wheaton got off to a hot start early off the Tornados' Jonathan Germany, scoring three runs on a wild pitch and a two-RBI single. Logan Sawyer scored one on a sacrifice bunt to cut into the early deficit, making it 3-1 after an inning and a half.

However, Wheaton had an answer in the home half of the third, as Charlie Scofield ripped an RBI double to reinstate the three-run lead. The Tornados chipped away at the deficit in the top of the fourth, as Tyson Hinkle scored one on a groundout to cut the deficit back to two.

Brevard turned to Aaron Burchett with one out in the fourth and he polished off a scoreless fourth to keep the score 4-2. However, Wheaton held Brevard scoreless in the fifth and added on to its lead in the fifth on a Jack Gill solo home run, making it 5-2.

The Tornados, despite trailing all game, woke the bats up in the sixth. Nico Bartolotti started the scoring with an RBI single and Tyson Hinkle quickly followed with a three-run home run, giving Brevard its first lead. Hinkle's long ball gives him his third, which leads BC. Brevard would add another on a wild pitch, making it 7-5 heading to the bottom of the sixth.

However, the lead quickly changed hands in the bottom of the sixth, as a Jack Gill three-RBI single cleared the bases off of Brevard's Gage Granata and gave the Thunder the lead back. Wheaton would add one more on a Charlie Schofield RBI single to make it 9-7 after six innings. 

The seesaw affair continued in the seventh, as Tyson Hinkle delivered again with an RBI single to get BC back within one run. Austin Ogles tallied a sacrifice fly to tie the game, before a Moe Love RBI double, giving BC a 10-9 edge. Colin Weathers entered for Gage Granata with a runner on, and Wheaton would find the equalizer in the bottom half. 

Despite finding the equalizer, Weathers would hold the Thunder scoreless the rest of the way, allowing the BC offense to pull away. After a scoreless eighth for both sides, Austin Ogles gave Brevard the lead back with a sacrifice fly and Bryson Genwright added an insurance run on an RBI single, making it 12-10.

Colin Weathers stranded a one-out baserunner, retiring the next two batters to earn his second career win in 2.2 innings out of the bullpen. Jonathan Germany got the start, dealing 3.1 innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits, with a walk and a strikeout. Aaron Burchett pitched 2.1 innings, allowing a pair of runs on two hits, and Gage Granata recorded two outs out of the pen.

Offensively, the Tornados were led by a 4-for-5 day from Tyson Hinkle, cashing in four RBIs. Freshman Austin Ogles logged his first career RBIs, knocking in two, including the go-ahead, and a pair of hits. Moe Love, Davis Anders, Nico Bartolotti, and Logan Sawyer all contributed to the hit column.

No. 13 Centre 14, Brevard 0 (7 inn.)

Nationally-ranked Centre took advantage of a tired Brevard squad coming off a hard-fought win, striking early and often in the nightcap.

The Colonels scored four in the first on a pair of wild pitches and an RBI single. Centre would add on with four in the second inning, five in the third, and one more in the fourth to put the game away.

Kaden Tuten got the start, pitching 1.2 innings, allowing six earned runs on six hits. Andy Fahringer, Jonah Campbell, Nathan Woytowich, Jacob Wilde, Michael Geary, and Cole Smith combined for the remaining 5.1 innings. Woytowich, Geary, and Smith combined for two innings of scoreless baseball.

Offensively, the Tornados were held at bay, striking out 11 times while tallying just two hits. Nico Bartolotti and Bryson Genwright tallied a hit apiece in the loss. 

Brevard wraps up its weekend in Kentucky with an 11 am matchup with Dominican on Sunday morning.

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-BC-