ATLANTA –
Harry Paul threw the first five innings of a five-hit gem for the Oglethorpe pitching staff, and the Stormy Petrels took game three of the series against Maryville 6-2 Sunday at Hermance Stadium.
The win marked Head Coach
Kellen Greer's first heading coaching victory.
Paul allowed only one run in the top of the first inning before settling in to face only three over the minimum over the next four innings. He allowed only one runner past first base during that stretch, finally exiting after the fifth with a winning line of five innings, three hits, one run, one walk and two strikeouts.
Andrew Noack,
Zachary Cox and
Noah Cole all pitched as effectively in Paul's relief. Noack got the next two innings, which went scoreless on one hit, Cox allowed only an unearned run in the eighth, and Cole closed the door with a scoreless final 1.2 innings.
In fact, Cole entered with the score 4-2 and the tying run at the plate but carved his way out of the mild jam with two punchouts. He then sat down the last three Scots in order in the ninth.
Oglethorpe's offense gave Paul and the pitching staff all the run support they would need with a three-run second.
Parker Hildebrecht and
Jonathan Cruz started that inning with a walk and single, respectively, then a
Carson Weir double to right tied the game 1-1.
Mason Pearcy then followed two batters later with a ground ball to the right side to give the Petrels the lead, and Weir came home on a wild pitch to pad the lead to 3-1.
Pearcy added another run to that padding in the seventh with a single to center.
Connor Ledet and
Nick Tarantino both drove in runs in the eighth with singles to score Hildebrecht and Ledet, respectively.
Oglethorpe produced nine hits on the day coming off eight bats. Weir led the day with a 2-for-3 effort. Hildebrecht walked twice and scored twice.
Up next, Oglethorpe faced Piedmont at home Tuesday and Covenant at home Friday. They are among six more nonconference games for the Petrels prior to the start of the Southern Athletic Association slate.
