Box Score BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University baseball team was back on the field against Conference Carolinas' second place team, Erskine College. The Flying Fleet raced out to an early lead in the top of the first inning but the Tornado gained the lead in the bottom of the first and did not look back, cruising to an 11-5 victory behind Ryan Whitt's three runs batted in.
Getting the nod on the mound for King (20-21, 12-9) was Heath Loyd whom retired two Erskine batters in the top of the first before Sam Cothran ripped a triple scoring two on the hit. In the bottom of the inning, King came right back when Whitt delivered with a single, plating Tyler Raymond. Preston Douglas stepped up to the plate and recorded a sacrifice fly to score Braden Cook. Jose Sola scored the final run of the inning for the Tornado when Mark Hencken reached on a fielder's choice. After one inning, King led Erskine 3-2.
Erskine (30-11, 15-7 CC) put two runners on to start the top half of the fourth but Loyd came back strong sitting down the next three to move to the home half. The Tornado plated two more in the inning, the first coming off a Cook sacrifice bunt, scoring Josh Stephens. Next, a Sola triple helped Raymond cross the plate and with two innings in the books, King led the Flying Fleet 5-2.
Loyd sent down the Erskine lineup in order in the top of the third and King got on the board once again. Jake Portugal doubled to right center and scored when Stephens reached on a Flying Fleet throwing error. In the fourth, Erskine added a hit while King tallied two but with four complete, King led Erskine 6-2.
The fifth had the same result for Erskine with nothing crossing the plate and King continued to open their lead on the Flying Fleet. Hencken led off with a single followed by Portugal reaching on a fielder's choice. Raymond tripled to left center to plate both Hecken and Portugal to open the King advantage to 8-2.
The Flying Fleet answered in the top of the sixth with two home runs from Hanlon Maivelett and Brandon Wooten to bring the score to 8-4. King got two right back in the bottom of the sixth off a towering home run from Whitt down the left field line. After six innings, King led Erskine 10-4.
In the seventh inning, Zach Smith led off for Erskine with a leadoff home run and Andrew Phemister stepped onto the mound to replace Loyd. Phemister recorded three easy outs to move to the bottom of the inning. The Tornado answered again when Stephens walked, advanced to second on a J.P. Castaneda sacrifice bunt and moved over to third on a groundout. Stephens scored on a wild pitch and with seven innings gone, King continued to lead Erskine 11-5.
The game saw one more hit, coming in the top of the ninth and King went on to defeat the Flying Fleet of Erskine 11-5 in game one of the three game series. Earning the win on the mound for the Tornado was Heath Loyd while Austin Gambrell was handed his first loss of the season. Phemister recorded his second save of the season.
Leading the way for the Tornado at the plate was Whitt with his fifth home run of the season and three runs batted in. Raymond posted two runs batted in off three hits in the contest. Seven Tornado batters recorded a hit in the contest, recording 13 in the game.
The series will conclude on Saturday, April 11 with game one set to begin at 12:00 p.m. at the King baseball field.
