Stallions nest Red Hawks with sweep
TIFTON – Things are starting to come together for the ABAC squad as the non-conference part of their schedule is coming to an end. ABAC has rolled in the last six out of the last seven in the win column entering last night's game against Marion University JV. It has been tough on the Stallions early in the year, previously dropping four in a row but team has finally been able to put all three of the components of the game together and has really showed both on the mound and at the plate.
The Stallions defeated Lake Michigan 10-4 by consistently putting runs on the scoreboard on Friday.
Lake Michigan took an early lead in the first inning on a single on a 0-1 count, scoring two runs.
But ABAC knotted the game up at two in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs in the first inning, Travis Ray drove in one run when he singled.
ABAC would eventually take the lead for good with one run in the third inning. In the third frame, Josh Jackson would hit his league leading fourth homerun, a solo shot way over the fence driving in one run.
In the first game against Lake Michigan, the hosts had 14 hits in the game. Brett Usry, Bryce Shupe, Jackson, Justin Russell, and Ray each collected multiple hits for the Stallions. Shupe and Usry all had three hits to lead the offensive attack on the day.
Josh Jackson's league leading 5th homerun and strong outing by Preston Sparks leads to Stallions victory over Lake Michigan College.
Preston Sparks got the call on the mound against the RedHawks tossing five innings giving up two earned runs, on four base hits, while fanning six. Cole Garrett pitched two innings given up the other two runs of the contest, while Drew Martens and Tristain Daugherty finish off the game tossing one inning apiece.
Both teams were strong on the mound Saturday, but ABAC outlasted the visitors defeating Southern Union 3-1. All Stallion pitchers combined allowed just eight hits to Southern Union.
The hosts grabbed an early lead on a double in the second inning. Ray doubled on the first pitch of the at bat in the second inning, scoring one run. Ray and Zane Folsom each drove in one run to lead the team on the day.
Bo Vickers would make the start on the mound pitching the first 3 2/3 innings in game one, giving up one earned run on five scattered hits.
Daugherty improved to 3-1 on the year by tossing 3 innings of scoreless relief and Dalton Rentz earned the save in game one.
Stallions split doubleheader with Southern Union winning game one 3-1 and dropping game two 6-4.
The ABAC Stallions Varsity grabbed a lead in sixth inning for a victory over Lake Michigan as the home team took the lead late and defeated Lake Michigan 9-4 on Monday. The game was tied at four with the hosts at the plate batting in the bottom of the sixth when Usry singled, driving in one run.
The team saddled up in the first and took the the lead in the first inning. With two outs in the first inning Folsom drove in two runs when he doubled.
Lake Michigan evened things up at four in the top of the fifth inning.
In the first game of the doubleheader, ABAC collected 11 hits. Russell and Joel Ellis each collected multiple hits for the home team. Shupe, Ellis, and Folsom each drove in two runs to lead the offensive effort at the plate.
Coming off the win in game one, the Stallions defeated Lake Michigan despite allowing a three run inning when the RedHawks collected three runs in the fourth frame. ABAC captured the lead in the first inning off the bat of Josh Jackson driving in one run for the team.
Lake Michigan would tie the game up at three apiece entering the bottom half of the inning where the hosts matched them with two runs off the bat of Russell where he doubled, driving in one.
In game two of the double, ABAC pounded out eight hits. Ellis and Jackson each collected multiple hits for the Stallions, while Jackson and Ellis each managed two hits to lead the effort.
Stallions earned the sweep over Lake Michigan behind Dalton Rentz's strong outing and Justin Russell's four hit day.
ABAC now will post a 10-12 mark on the year, as they returned to the diamond last night for one game against Marion University JV. They will play a two game set at home this afternoon against Brewton Parker JV at 3 PM, before continuing their schedule on the road Friday against South Georgia in Douglas.
It's busy last two weeks on the schedule for the team, but Russell now leads the conference and team with a .436 batting average, and is second in conference with runs batted in with 18. Jackson leads the conference in dingers with five. Rentz is tied for first with four wins along with East Georgia's Phillip Phillips, and is behind Phillips in third with a 1.86 ERA. Rentz also has collected 29 strikeouts and is fifth in that category. Daugherty has pitched the Stallions to three wins in relief and is tied for third in wins, behind Rentz with four total.