MOBILE, Ala. – The Tuskegee University baseball team dropped its series finale at Saturday afternoon against Spring Hill College (SHC) in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) action at Stan Galle Field.
In a wild 12-10 decision that featured 24 hits, 12 errors, nine stolen bases, four double plays, three hit batters, two passed balls and two wild pitches , TU quickly fell behind in the bottom of the 1st inning when SHC first baseman Keaton Smith bounced a three-run home run off the railing of the seating area just inside the right field foul pole with two outs.
Tuskegee answered back to tie the game at 3-3 with a two-run homer to left-center by catcher Ronald McGhee in the 2nd inning and a leadoff blast out of left by second baseman Gabriel Selochan in the 3rd inning. SHC retook a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 3rd inning when shortstop John Sklopan double to left sending Smith to 3rd base, who then scored as the ball was bobbled at the wall by Tuskegee.
The wheels came off the bus for Spring Hill in the 4th inning as four Badger errors and three hits by the Tigers resulted in five runs crossing the plate to put the Badgers in an 8-4 hole. The hole deepened to 9-4 in the 7th inning after TU first baseman Jalen Luter drove in centerfielder Lane Williams from 3rd base with a single to right.
Spring Hill then erupted for five runs in the bottom of the 7th inning when catcher Brennan Fontenot drove an RBI-double to deep right center, designated hitter Hunter Romero lifted a sacrifice fly to center, Smith came through with a run-scoring single through the left side of the infield, and Sklopan mashed a game-tying two-run homer down the left field line.
Tuskegee picked themselves up one more time to put a run across the plate in the 8th inning when left fielder Corey Stallings put an RBI-single into right with two outs. SHC again rallied in the next half inning to tie the game at 10-10 when Romero doubled down the left field line to score left fielder Luke Wall. In a game of crazy plays, Sklopan would once again prove the star by striking out swinging with two outs, but reaching 1st base as the pitch skipped past the catcher to the backstop also scoring pinch runner Garrett Dearaujo from 3rd base with the go-ahead run. A final Badger run would later scurry home when Sklopan's steal of 2nd base resulted in an errant throw that brought in Romero from 3rd base.
Selochan (0-1) took the loss in 1.2 innings of work with two hits, no walks and three strikeouts. Starter Jordyn Thomas accepted a no decision in 6.1 innings with 10 hits three walks and four strikeouts.
Sklopan and Wall finished the day with three hits each while Romero and Smith both collected a pair hits as Smith tallied four RBIs. McGhee had three hits and four RBIs for the Tigers as Luter and third baseman Tyari Albright each had two hits.
The Golden Tigers will play at Georgia Southwestern State University Wednesday in Americus, Ga. before hosting LeMoyne Owen College next weekend for its annual Breast Cancer Awareness Weekend theme.