Duarte's 2 Homers Help Tigers Salvage a Split

Going into the second game of the doubleheader, the Tiger bats would get rolling early. A single from Payton Rios and Hank Schineller gave the Tigers their first run, and second run via a double from Jose Cazorla. In the second, the longball would be the Tigers' friend. Joshua Duarte came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs, and would promptly deposit a 100.5 MPH homer over the left field fence to make it 6-0. In the top half of the 3rd, Pikeville would cut the lead in half. However, in the bottom frame, Georgetown would get one back after an error, making it 7-3. 

After Pikeville got another in the 4th, Joshua Duarte and Hank Schineller would go back to back and hit homers to make it 9-4. In the 5th, two singles from DeZarn and Rios put the Tigers back in business. Schineller collected his third hit, which also saw him plate home another run. Justin Starkey would then get in on the parade, as he would single home two more runs to make it 12-4. 

In the 6th, Ashton Deskins would take the mound, and get hit for 2 runs on three hits, to make it 12-6. In the 7th, Braxton Burse would come on for the second time. Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, but Burse would navigate out of the trouble. With one out, he would trade an out for a run, as the Tigers lead went to 5. Burse would come back and get a groundout to end the game, and split the series for the Tigers. Mortimer picks up the win, which now moves him to 4-1 on the year. Duarte and Schineller led the offense with their 5 hits, three homers, and 8 RBI. 

The Tigers are back in action this Friday at home, as they host the #1 seed and 4th ranked Cumberlands Patriots. Friday's game is set to begin at 3 pm, with the Saturday doubleheader beginning at 1. This will wrap up MSC play for the Tigers, as they currently sit in the #2 seed, and are in control of their own destiny leading up to the Conference tournament.