MASON, Ohio - The Carroll University baseball team split with Centre College in a nonconference doubleheader at Prasco Park on Sunday, winning the opening game 3-1 but losing the finale 6-3.
The twin bill completed a season-opening three-game road trip for Carroll, which finished the challenging, confidence-building weekend 1-2 overall.
Justin Baker, a senior from Waukesha, Wis., went a combined 6-for-11 with a double, triple and three RBIs in the series for the Pioneers.
GAME 1
Baker went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a stolen base to power the Pioneers in the opener.
It was the first victory of the 2022 season for Carroll, which collected six hits and turned in an error-free defensive effort.
The Pioneers scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning as Baker nailed the two-out, 2-2 pitch up the middle for an RBI single.
Carroll added two runs in the sixth on an RBI single to left field by Baker and as
Benton Holly scored as the result of an error.
Centre's lone run came on a passed ball in the bottom of the eighth.
Holly,
Brad Vosters,
Casey Mir and
Trevor Benz each added a hit for the Pioneers.
Senior right-hander
Ben Ellifson was the winning pitcher, working five scoreless innings while scattering six hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
Ellifson, who faced 20 batters in making a strong season debut, threw 71 pitches inducing eight ground outs and two fly outs.
Josh Streu pitched a scoreless sixth and
Connor Nolen followed with an unblemished seventh for the Pioneers.
Six-foot-3 right-hander
Dawson Kiphart entered the game in relief of
Connor Kelly with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth but responded to the pressure-packed situation by promptly forcing a double play and inning-ending fly out.
Kiphart, who earned his first save of the season, retired the side in the ninth by forcing back-to-back ground outs and a game-ending fly out.
GAME 2
Casey Mir went 2-for-4 with a double and scored a run to lead an eight-hit offensive attack for Carroll, which stranded six runners on base.
The Pioneers scored their first runs of the contest in the top of the sixth on a two-run single to left-center field by Holly.
Carroll's final run came as
Nick Angus scored on a fielder's choice in the seventh.
Six-foot-6 senior right-hander Carson Werrmann pitched a four-hitter with 11 strikeouts and three walks through 5 2/3 innings as Centre inproved to 2-1 overall.
Carroll junior right-hander
Nick Evert took the pitching loss, yielding five runs on no hits with two strikeouts and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Stay up to date on Carroll baseball by going online to www.gopios.com, or by following the Pioneers on Facebook (Carroll University Athletics), Twitter (@pio_athletics), and Instagram (@pio_athletics)
