The second day of competition in the 2019 NCCAA Mid-East Regional tournament saw plenty of action, as each game was decided by five runs or fewer. Bluefield College advanced to the championship game, defeating Oakland City University 6-1, in the opening game of the day. Hiwassee College came from behind to knock off Alice Lloyd College 6-3, and OCU rallied to defeat Johnson University 5-3, setting up a rematch of their opening round game.
Game one saw the Rams of Bluefield College, the tournament's top seed strike early, scoring two runs each in the first and second innings, to take a 4-0 early lead over the third seeded Mighty Oaks of Oakland City University. OCU scratched out a run in the bottom half of the sixth frame, by BC responded with two more in the eighth, winning 6-1.
Alex Perkins pitched a complete game for the Rams, allowing one earned run on four hits, while striking out 15 batters to earn the win.
Justin Hallum took the loss for OCU, throwing seven innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks, while fanning five. The Oaks managed four hits on the day, including doubles by
Dillon Whitten and
Brandon Taylor, while committing two errors. The Rams had eight hits, including a double by Jose Santana, while committing one error.
In the second game of the day, Alice Lloyd College scored the game's first run in the top of the third inning. Two more ALC runs in the top of the sixth gave the Eagles a 3-0 lead, but the Tigers of Hiwassee College scored two runs of their own in the bottom half of the sixth frame. An inning later, the Tigers added four more, including a three-run homerun by Tyler Hisey, finishing the game with a 6-3 victory.
The Tigers had eight hits, including doubles by Garrett Dalton, Hisey, Sam Edington, and Haydon Townsend, and had no errors. The Eagles reached on six hits, including doubles by Peyton Buford and Bryce Tucker, and a homerun by Garrett Gay, and committed one error. Sam McMillen pitched the first six innings for the Tigers, allowing three earned runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out six in a no decision. Chase Bewley threw two innings in relief to earn the win, giving up one hit and striking out three, while Ryan Keefe earned the save, allowing one hit and striking out two in the ninth. ALC's starter, Chance Cornett, lasted six and two-thirds innings, allowing six runs, all earned, on eight hits and three walks, while fanning eight in the loss.
The final game of the day saw the Oakland City University Mighty Oaks score two runs in the top of the first inning, matched in the bottom half by the Johnson University Royals. Neither team was able to score again until JU scored one in the sixth, taking a 3-2 lead into the final inning of play. The Oaks scrapped out three runs in the top of the ninth, and held on to win 5-3, advancing to meet Hiwassee College with a berth in the championship against Bluefield College on the line.
OCU finished the game with five hits, including a double from
Tyler Shamblin. JU had 11 hits in the game, including doubles by Franklin Mundo and Riley Cooper. Both teams committed two errors in the contest. John Turner pitched eight complete, facing two batters in the ninth inning for the Royals, allowing four runs, two earned, on four hits and seven walks, while striking out seven batters. Tyler Lopes finished the game on the mound for JU, giving up an unearned run, one hit, and one walk. OCU's
Tristen Cummings earned the win on the mound, throwing eight innings, allowing three earned runs on 11 hits and a walk, striking out four.
Devan Franz pitched the bottom of the ninth, earning the save, while allowing one walk and fanning one.
The Hiwassee College Tigers, the second seed, will square off against Oakland City University at 11:00 am on Wednesday at OCU's Pinnick Field, with the winner advancing to take on Bluefield College in the regional championship, which will begin at approximately 2:00 pm. Should the Rams lose, a winner-take-all game will be played on Thursday, with the first pitch scheduled for 10:00 am.
