SELMA, Ala. - Clark Atlanta baseball opened the 2016 season on the road at Concordia-Selma splitting the season-opening doubleheader. Clark Atlanta tallied 15 hits and picked up 13 walks over the course of two games.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:Game 1 Score: Concordia-Selma 7, Clark Atlanta 6
Game 2 Score: Clark Atlanta 3, Concordia-Selma 2
Record: Concordia-Selma (1-1), Clark Atlanta (1-1)
Date: Jan. 30, 2016 | Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: Terry Leach Field | Selma, Ala.
HOW IT HAPPENED GAME 1:Clark Atlanta scored to start the game with an unearned run in the first inning.
Jason Howell reached on an error by the Hornet second basemen before stealing second and later scoring from third on a bases-loaded walk to
Johnny Surry.
In the second inning
Ceontae Brandon singled to centerfield to start the inning and scored later on a stolen base.
Concordia plated two runs in the home second inning to tie the game. The home team took the lead in the third with a bases-loaded single to right field before a double play ended the inning.
A three-run fourth inning moved the Panthers to the lead. Nicholas Mitchell led off with a single to left field, and
Ryan Betts followed with a single up the middle.
Joseph Holmes II picked up a pair of RBI with a single threw the right side before later scoring on
Michael Haywood, Jr.'s deep single down the line to right field.
Concordia responded with four runs in the fifth inning to take the lead, 7-5.
Clark Atlanta added one run in the top of the sixth versus the Hornet closer, but the game ended on a strike out.
HOW IT HAPPENED GAME 2:The second game started with each team scoreless in the opening five innings.
With one down and one out in the visitor sixth, the Panthers forced the Hornets to reach to the bullpen.
Cedric Garrett welcomed the new pitcher with a walk that moved Betts to second base. One out later,
St. George Pink delivered a two-out two-RBI single up the middle.
Concordia fought back in the home sixth with two runs to tie the game.
A two-out rally in the top of the seventh had Betts at the plate with runners on first and second. Betts delivered a opposite-field single to left field to plate Mitchell and retake the lead for Clark Atlanta; 3-2.
Jordan Johnson, who played short stop to start the game, came on in relief in the sixth and struck out the only batter he faced. After walking the first batter of the inning, Johnson got the second batter of the inning to strike out looking. Johnson was then able to induce a game-ending double play for the first victory for Clark Atlanta.
THE NUMBERS:Clark Atlanta had opportunities in the first game but stranded 10 runners on base. CAU left 10 Panthers on base in the second game as well.
Betts and Brandon each tallied three hits in the series. Holmes II drove in three RBI with the trio of Betts, Brandon, and Mitchell crossing the plate twice.
CAU went 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts, with Betts leading the way with two swiped bags.
Haywood, Jr. pitched 5.2 innings in the second game, surrendering six hits while striking out five batters.
UP NEXT:Clark Atlanta will host SIAC-rival Miles College in a non-conference game on Feb. 4 before traveling to Georgia Southwestern for a weekend three-game series this weekend.
