Griffins Dealt First Loss On The Year Against Berry

JACKSON, Miss.— The Fontbonne University baseball team dropped its first outing in 2018 against Berry College on Saturday, 9-4.

The Griffins (1-1), compiled a season-high 11 hits as Michael Golich, Matt Tossick and Justin Kutz contributed two hits each, while Kutz, Nick Kenny and Ryan Schocker added the RBI. On the rubber, starter John Hughes was dealt the loss as he went 2.0 innings, allowing six runs on five hits and struck out three.

Berry (2-2), also finished with 11 hits and leading the way was its No. 4 hitter, Jacob Delk. The catcher went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a game-high three RBI. Shortstop Dylan Beasley went 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Will Deems, Tyler Calvert and Devin Post each had one RBI.

On the hill, reliever Milan Sutaria tossed 5.0 innings of four hit ball, allowing two runs and striking out one.

In the first inning, Jackson Penrod reached base on a one out fielder's choice. After a wild pitch, Schocker brought him home with an RBI single to make it 1-0. However, in the ensuing half inning, the Vikings bats took over.

A hit-by-pitch and a single put runners on the corners for Delk. After a stolen base, Delk ripped a double down the left field line to plate Spence Johns and Casey Whitaker to give them a 2-1 lead.

Quinn Smith followed with a walk and then Calvert hit a double of his own, scoring Delk. Beasley kept the line moving with a single to right, allowing two more runners to touch home and make it 5-1. Post added the final RBI in the inning and that gave Berry a 6-1 lead after one.

In the second, though the Griffins got one of those runs back. Tossick led off with a single. Two batters later, Gus Purschke hit a single and an error on the second baseman allowed Tossick to socre on the play making it, 6-2.

In the bottom of the third, however, Berry pushed its lead back out to 8-2, scoring a run on a fielder's choice and an RBI single from Will Deems.

Fontbonne continued to battle and they answered once more in the seventh. Tossick walked with one away and he scored on Nick Kenny's double to left. After a pitching change, Kutz's single to center scored Kenny from third and put the deficit down to 8-4.

The comeback was not to be, though as Berry plated another run in the eighth and they went on for the five-run win.

The Griffins return to action tomorrow afternoon against Millsaps (3-2). First-pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Fans make sure to stay updated on fontbonnegriffins.com throughout the year for full updates and recaps on the baseball team.