Bantam Baseball Splits Series With Roane State

Bantam Baseball split the series with Roane State this weekend, winning their first game 10-7 on Feb. 2 and their second game 12-11 on Feb. 3. Kris Levensteins hit two home runs and drove in four. Both offenses were strong at the plate as USC Union Bantams collected 11 hits and Roane state collected 7. 

Mason Elrod homered to left field, which helped the Bantams tie the game at one in the bottom of the first. 

The Bantams flipped the game on its head in the bottom of the second, scoring seven runs on six hits to take a 8-1 lead. The biggest blow in the inning was a home run to center field by Levenstiens that drove in three. 

USC Union Bantams scored one run in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run to right field by Levensteins.

Michael Adams hit a solo home run to left field in the bottom of the fifth. 

Jared Penland earned the win for the Bantams. The reliever gave up three hits and four runs over two and one-third innings, striking out two and walking two. Austin Brown stepped up on the bump first for USC Union, allowing three hits and three runs (two earned) over three innings, striking out two and walking one. Mason Stepp collected the save and Aiden Blevins appeared in relief for the Bantams.

USC Union amassed 11 hits in the game. Levensteins, Adams, and Tyler Strickland each collected two hits for USC Union. The Bantams turned one double play in the game. 

The second game on Saturday came down to the wire, with the Bantams grabbing the victory 12-11 over Roane State. The game was tied at 11 in the bottom of the fifth when Tyler Strickland singled, scoring one run.

Both offenses were strong at the plate as USC Union collected 12 hits and Roane State nine in the high-scoring affair. 

USC Union got on the board in the bottom of the first inning after Mason Elrod singled, scoring one run, and Brayden Corn homered to center field, scoring three runs. The Bantams tied the game in the bottom of the third thanks to a double by Clayton Goff and a walk by Elrod.

In the bottom of the fourth, USC Union broke up the tie when an error scored two runs. Then a single by Elrod followed to extend the lead to 10-6. Roane State flipped the game in the top of the fifth, scoring five runs on four hits to take a 11-10 lead. In the bottom of the fifth the Bantams went back into the lead after Corn singled and Strickland singled, each scoring one run. 

Again, Jared Penland earned the win for USC Union, allowing two hits and one run (zero earned) over one inning, striking out and walking none. Jackson Jefferson started on the mound for USC Union. The starting pitcher allowed four hits and six runs over two and one third innings, striking out three and walking four. Trevor Merck and Josh Raines each appeared in relief for USC Union. 

The Bantams piled up 12 hits in the game. Corn went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Bantams in hits. Brett Boone, Strickland, Goff, and Elrod each collected multiple hits. USC Union had a strong eye at the plate, tallying eight walks for the game. Michael Adams, Zach Leroy, and Elrod led the team with two bases on balls each.