The Covenant baseball team concluded the 2018 season on Saturday with a pair of losses to Pfeiffer. The Scots lost 5-1 in game one, and then could not hold a late lead in a 12-9 loss in the finale.
Between games, Covenant honored its 10 seniors (Caleb Bloye, Taylor Bloye, Devin Cerrato, Ben Copeland, Jay Epperson, junior Richie Hennessey, Matt Herrin, Daniel Johnson, Joel Johnson, and Trenton Nobles) for their hard work and dedication to the program during their careers.
Covenant ends the year with a 13-25 overall record.
Pfeiffer, a reclassifying member of NCAA Division III and the USA South, has won 18 straight games and moves to 30-7 on the year.
GAME ONE: Pfeiffer 5, Covenant 1
Despite Covenant starter Matt Reitz throwing four straight scoreless innings after a tough two frames, the Scots could not overcome Pfeiffer and starter Nick Richmond in a 5-1 loss.
Covenant mustered four hits in the contest off Richmond, two of which were singles from Trenton Nobles. Devin Cerrato and CJ Edmond also had singles for the Scots in the seven-inning game.
Pfeiffer scored a run in the first inning and then four more in the second to take a 5-0 lead. A bases-loaded double from Derek Perry that brought in all three runners highlighted the four-run second inning for the visiting Falcons.
Covenant got on the board with Edmond's RBI single in the third, but that was all the Scots would get.
Richmond (7-2) went all seven innings and struck out nine for the win. Perry was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored for the Falcons.
Reitz (4-4) settled down after allowing five runs over the first two innings, but received the loss. The right-hander went six innings and struck out five while allowing five runs on eight hits. Richie Hennessey tossed a scoreless seventh inning
GAME TWO: Pfeiffer 12, Covenant 9
Covenant rallied back from a 5-1 deficit and led 9-8 after seven innings, but Pfeiffer scored a run in the eighth and three in the ninth to come away with a 12-9 win and a series sweep.
Caleb Bloye went 4-for-5 with a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored to lead Covenant's 15-hit attack. Bloye ends his collegiate career with 199 career hits, third-most in program history.
Trailing 5-1 after four innings, Covenant scored three in the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-4. Donny Lewis delivered a pinch-hit, two run single to right field that plated both Joel Johnson and Bloye. Lewis and Daniel Johnson then pulled off a double steal as Johnson took home to make it 5-4.
Pfeiffer scored three times in the sixth to go ahead 8-4, but Covenant answered with five runs of its own. Trenton Nobles and Cerrato had back-to-back hits to start the frame and then a failed pickoff attempt at first resulted in a throwing error that allowed Nobles to score. Bloye then smashed a two-run homer to right field, his fifth of the year, to get Covenant within 8-7.
Later in the inning, Edmond scored on a wild pitch and a Jonah Carignan sacrifice fly scored Joel Johnson to give the Scots a 9-8 lead.
Pfeiffer tied the score on Xavier Rodriguez's sacrifice fly in the eighth and then the Falcons scored three times in the ninth to grab a 12-9 lead. A Perry RBI double in the ninth gave Pfeiffer the lead for good.
Covenant would get a leadoff baserunner in the bottom of the ninth as Carignan singled, but Pfeiffer closer Peyton Williams was able to retire the next three Covenant batters to secure the win.
Nobles and Cerrato had three hits apiece for Covenant, while Nobles had two runs and Cerrato scored once. Joel Johnson went 2-for-5 with two runs.
Adam Carver made the start for the Scots and went 3.1 innings. Conor Austin (0-2) picked up the loss in relief.
Pfeiffer's Rodriguez (1-0) went 1-for-4 at the plate and also collected the win on the mound as he threw two scoreless innings in relief. Williams notched his seventh save of the year. Perry finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs and five runs scored, while Christian Marciano was 4-for-6 with five RBIs.