Feb. 23, 2008

Rome, Ga. - The Shorter College Hawks baseball team started their conference schedule this weekend with a split, as they lost game one to the Emmanuel College Lions 2-1, and won the second game, 4-1.

In the first game, the Hawks struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Gustavo Bonilla was hit-by-pitch to reach first, advanced to second on a sacrifice fly from Mark Charrette, touched third on a fielder's choice and scored on a Ross Ballard fielder's choice. Unfortunately for Shorter, it was the only run they saw in the game.

Emmanuel scored their only two runs on a home run from Chris Bell in the third inning, to win 2-1.

Dustin Lee had two hits for Shorter, and Brandon Ponder, Gustavo, and Ibrahim Lopez added one hit apiece.

Jonathan Douglas picked up the win for Emmanuel and Dustin Bowers (1-3) the loss for Shorter. Bowers picked seven solid inning for the Hawks, giving up only four hits and striking out six.

In the second game, things went better for the Hawks. To start off the second inning, Trevor Miller advanced to first on a wild pitch and advanced on a Matt Turner walk. Both runners scored on a Scott Morris RBI single to take the lead 2-0.

Emmanuel got on the board in the top of the fifth on an RBI double to center field from PiAire Thompson, to make the game 2-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Hawks started the inning with two insurance runs on a two RBI single from Turner that scored Charrette and Miller to give the Hawks a 4-1 lead.

Charrette was 2-for-2 in the second game.

The winning pitcher was Daniel Gandia (2-0), who pitched the complete game, giving up only six hits, and striking out eight. Kyle Brown received the loss for Emmanuel.

The Hawks will continue play against Emmanuel tomorrow with a single game at 1 p.m.