Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Crimson Pride traveled to Kentucky over the weekend to take on the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders. The series was originally scheduled to be 3 games at Egnew Park, but weather forced a move to Russell County High School for single 9-inning games Saturday and Sunday.

Game 1
Riley Mertl got the start on the mound for IUC and could not find his groove as he faced only 5 batters without recording an out. After Lindsey Wilson scored 5 in the 1st inning, IUC came back to score 1 run in the 2nd and 2 in the 3rd to make it 5-3. The Blue Raiders scored 1 in the bottom of the 3rd, then added 3 more in the 5th, 2 in the 6th and 1 in the 8th to make the final score 12-3.

Cyrus Robinson, Trey VanMeter and Quentcy Perry each had 2 hits for the Crimson Pride.

Game 2
Sophomore Brayden Furnish got the starting assignment on Sunday and he was sharp, as he went 7 full innings. He allowed 3 hits and 1 earned run while striking out 7 and allowing no walks. He faced 24 batters and threw 55 of his 82 pitches for strikes.

The Crimson Pride offense finally got on the board in the top of the 5th. Centerfielder Perry led off the inning with an infield single, and he was followed by a pair of walks. Garrett Thurman was hit-by-a-pitch to force in Perry. Carson McNulty waled to score VanMeter. Ty Nicholson lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Blake Borkhardt, making it 3-1 IUC. Borkhardt singled to lead off the top of the 7th. McNulty followed with a single before Nicholson doubled down the right field line; Cortez Jenkins, who had come in to run for Borkhardt, scored to make it 4-1.

In the bottom of the 8th Lindsey Wilson loaded the bases with one out against reliever Blaze Schultz. Gavin Haltom relieved Schultz and struck out Diego Andino for the second out. With 2 outs and the bases loaded, Keith Stewart doubled to right-center. Drake Young and Caden Davis scored, but Blane Bradford was thrown out at the plate on an excellent defensive play as rightfielder VanMeter fired to 2nd baseman Grayson Roll, who relayed to Nicholson at the plate for the tag, keeping the score 4-3. 

IUC added an insurance run in the top of the 9th. Nicholson doubled down the left field line with one out. Caden Radcliff, as the courtesy runner for the catcher, moved to 3rd on a wild pitch. Wyatt Sutton followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-3.

With Haltom pitching in the bottom of the 9th, the Blue Raiders sandwiched a hit-by-pitch and a walk around 2 strikeouts. Haltom then got Jayden Keith to ground out to short to end the game.

Notes
Congratulations to Cyrus Robinson as he collected his 100th career hit for the Crimson Pride!

Next on the schedule
IUC will travel to Carolina University for a pair of doubleheaders beginning Friday, February 13th