Staff report

KODAK, Tenn. — Catawba’s baseball season continued on Thursday by the slimmest of margins.

Trailing eighth-seeded Mars Hill 6-0 in the single-elimination portion of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament, the fifth-seeded Indians rallied to win 7-6 in 10 innings.

Freshman Dylan Driver (Carson) and veteran Henderson Lentz (North Rowan) were among the players who came through with key hits.

Catawba (29-22) sent All-SAC ace Greg Brown to the mound, so it figured to be a routine win against the Lions (18-30), but Brown wasn’t sharp, the Lions pieced together two three-run innings, and after six, the underdogs led 6-0.

Catawba had zero hits in the first five innings.The Indians had one hit after six.

But Ben Gilks, Robbie Cowie, Ross Fowler and Ryan Street (Carson) came out of the bullpen and put up zeroes.

That gave Catawba a chance to come back.

Zack Miller’s RBI double in the seventh made it 6-1. Cameron Mills walked with the bases loaded in the eighth to make it 6-2.

But there was still an awfully steep hill to climb in the ninth.

An error helped a lot, and one-out singles by Luke Spiva, Driver and Lentz, who hit one up the middle, cut the gap to 6-5.

Harris Jackson’s sac fly made it 6-6 and sent the game to extra innings.

Catawba won in the 10th on, of all things, when Miller scored on an errant pickoff throw.

Street (3-0), who pitched the top of the 10th, was credited with the win.

It’s double-elimination for the Indians now and a little less pressure.

They’ll take on No. 2 seed Newberry today at 2:45 p.m.

 

SAC Tournament (at Kodak, Tenn.)

Thursday

(5) Catawba 7, (8) Mars Hill 6, 10 inns., Mars Hill eliminated

(7) Carson-Newman 2, (6) Lincoln Memorial 1, Lincoln Memorial eliminated

Double elimination

Friday 

(1) Wingate vs. (7) Carson-Newman, 11 a.m.

(2) Newberry vs. (5) Catawba, 2:45 p.m.

(3) Queens vs. (4) Lenoir-Rhyne, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday 

GM 3 loser vs. GM 4 loser, 11 a.m.

GM 3 winner vs. GM 5 loser, 2:45 p.m.

GM 4 winner vs. GM 5 winner, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday   

GM 7 winner vs. GM 8 winner, 11 a.m.

GM 6 winner vs. GM 8 loser, 2:45 p.m.

GM 10 winner vs. GM 9 loser, 6:30 p.m.

Monday

GM 9 winner vs. GM 11 winner, Noon       

if necessary, 3 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

SAC Tournament (at Kodak, Tenn.)

Thursday

(5) Catawba 7, (8) Mars Hill 6, 10 inns., Mars Hill eliminated

(7) Carson-Newman 2, (6) Lincoln Memorial 1, Lincoln Memorial eliminated

Double elimination

Friday 

(1) Wingate vs. (7) Carson-Newman, 11 a.m.

(2) Newberry vs. (5) Catawba, 2:45 p.m.

(3) Queens vs. (4) Lenoir-Rhyne, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday 

GM 3 loser vs. GM 4 loser, 11 a.m.

GM 3 winner vs. GM 5 loser, 2:45 p.m.

GM 4 winner vs. GM 5 winner, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday   

GM 7 winner vs. GM 8 winner, 11 a.m.

GM 6 winner vs. GM 8 loser, 2:45 p.m.

GM 10 winner vs. GM 9 loser, 6:30 p.m.

Monday

GM 9 winner vs. GM 11 winner, Noon       

if necessary, 3 p.m.