Pearson strikes again, gives NCWC series split with Ferrum

Rocky Mount, NC - For the second straight week, right-hander Ben Pearson helped his Bishop baseball squad avoid a conference sweep by tossing a complete game in the series’ finale.  This week’s victim, Ferrum College, saw Pearson scatter six hits and allow just two runs (one earned) as Wesleyan downed the Panthers by a 3-2 score on Sunday afternoon.  Previously on Saturday, the Bishops fell by a 7-6 score in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Wesleyan is now 15-8 overall, 4-2 in USA South action.  Ferrum is 9-8 on the season and also boasts a 4-2 league mark.

In Sunday’s game, the Bishops got all the offense they would need in the top of the fourth.  Matt Smith led off the inning with a double, and one out later, sophomore Justin Batts nailed his fourth homerun of the season to give Wesleyan a  2-0 lead.  Jason Webb made it back-to-back blasts for the Bishops with his first four-bagger of the season, giving NCWC a 3-0 lead.

Pearson did the rest, allowing an unearned run in the sixth and a homerun in the ninth.  The Panthers managed to advance the tying run to third base that same inning, but Pearson ended the threat and the game with a fly-out to center.

With the win, Pearson moves to 5-1 on the season, 3-0 in USA South play. Casey Davenport took the loss for Ferrum after going six complete innings and allowing three runs (all earned) on six hits.

Batts, Smith, and Joel Creef paced Wesleyan at the plate with two hits apiece, while six different Panthers collected one hit on the day.

On Saturday, Ferrum and Wesleyan found themselves in a 6-6 tie going in to final frame.  The Panthers’ DJ Phillips the tripled to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning and eventually scored on a wild pitch by NCWC starter Blake Rice to give the Panthers a 7-6 win.

Phillips was 2-for-4 on the day with two runs scored.  Brent Sowers was also 2-for-4 with a double, two runs, and an RBI.

Freshman pitcher Lincoln Garner went 7.1 innings, allowed eight hits, walked three, and struck out five but received a no-decision.  Bowles earned the win after tossing the final 1.2 innings.

Offensively, the Bishops were led by Matt Smith and Mark Wooten, who each went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.  Wooten's hit came on a solo homer in the top of the eighth inning, while sophomore Wes Means also homered for the Bishops. 

Wesleyan trailed 6-1 before plating a combined five runs in the eighth and ninth innings to knot the score at 6-6.

Rice suffered the loss for Wesleyan.  He pitched eight innings, allowed 10 hits, walked three, and struck out four. 

Wesleyan returns to action on Thursday when the Bishops travel to Bridgewater College for a 3:00 p.m. match-up with the Eagles.

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