The IU Columbus baseball team hosted Kentucky Christian for a three game River States Conference series at CERA Sports Park on Thursday and Friday. They split the doubleheader on Thursday, and Friday was a pitchers duel.

Thursday, April 9
Game 1
Carter Reitz got the start on the mound for the Crimson Pride and was strong for five-plus innings, and the offense gave him some early run support. Catcher Aidan Sheetz reached on a two-out walk, and courtesy runner Cortez Jenkins moved to third on a base hit by Carson McNulty. Trey VanMeter doubled to score both runners for a 2-0 lead after one inning. Garrett Thurman doubled to lead off the second, and he was brought in on a triple by Grayson Roll.

Kentucky Christian got on the board with one run in the third. Reitz was replaced with one out in the sixth after a walk and a double put runners on second and third. The Knights took advantage of a walk. two wild pitches and a single to tie the game 3-3. Brendan Bailey came on in relief and got out of the inning without any further damage. 

The Crimson Pride came right back in the bottom of the sixth. Thurman stroked a one-out triple to right-center. Brevin Barker's RBI single gave the home team the lead once again at 4-3. They really got it going in the seventh. quentcy Perry led off with a double, Wyatt Sutton walked, and Sheetz was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, loading the bases with no outs. McNulty singled to score Perry. VanMeter walked, forcing in Sutton. Cyrus Robinson, back in the lineup after a hand injury sidelined him for a few weeks, lined a two-run single to make the score 8-3.

The Knights threatened in the eighth, scoring two runs with one out. Gavin Haltom came on in relief of Bailey and shut down the rally. Haltom threw a scoreless ninth inning, preserving the 8-5 win.

Game 2
Caleb Richards got the start in the second game, and he had control issues. Kentucky Christian took advantage, using two walks, two hit batters and a single to score two runs in the first inning.The Knights chased reliever Weston Hanks in the third with a pair of singles with no outs.Ty Scott doubled in the third run of the inning for the Knights, and it was 5-0 going into the bottom of the third.

The Crimson Pride offense woke up in the third. Barker singled to start the inning, Roll walked and Perry singled, scoring Barker. After Perry stole second, Sutton singled to score both runners. Sutton was thrown out trying to reach second. They loaded the bases with two outs but were unable to cash in.

The Knights scored four runs in the fifth, and added four more in the sixth to make the score 13-3, giving the Knights a split of the doubleheader.

Friday, April 10
Andrew Combs got the start for the Knights, and he held the Crimson Pride scoreless for five innings. IU Columbus starter Grayson Roll matched him for three scoreless innings. The Knights got on the board in the fourth inning on back-to-back doubles by Jaryn McLaughlin and James Elliott for a 1-0 lead. Christian Gerena hit a solo home run in the fifth for the Knights. McLaughlin walked with one out in the sixth, and scored on a two-out double by Josh Wright. Bailey entered in relief of Roll and got out of the inning with no further damage, and the score remained 3-0.

The Crimson Pride got one run back in the bottom of the sixth. Perry tripled with one out. Sutton hit a sacrifice fly to center field, and it was 3-1. McNulty led off the seventh with a single, and moved up to second after a walk to Gavin Lash. Will Lewis ran for McNulty and Caden Ratcliff ran for Lash. Brett Poindexter's two-out single scored Lewis, making it a 3-2 game.

That was all the scoring in this one, and the Knights left town winning the series two games to one.

Next on the schedule:
The Crimson Pride will host West Virginia Tech for a three game series at CERA Sports Park beginning with a doubleheader on Friday beginning at noon. Saturday's single game will be Senior Day with the first pitch at noon.