Box Score

CONWAY, Ark. – The Hendrix College baseball team lost their first ever Southern Athletic Association game to Berry College 14-8 on Friday afternoon at Warrior Field. The visiting Vikings (4-5, 1-0) outhit the Warriors (4-7, 0-1) 14-11 and took advantage of four Hendrix errors.

In the top of the first, Berry scored six runs on five hits and two errors. Catcher Devin Skelton had the big hit of the inning, with a two-run base hit. The Vikings added two more in the second after three hits and another defensive miscue, taking an 8-0 lead.

After another run in the top of the fifth made the game 9-0, the Warriors began chipping away at the lead. Hendrix picked up two in the fourth on a RBI-single from sophomore right fielder Matt Simmons and sophomore first baseman Ryan Ritz scored on a Viking error. In the bottom of the fifth, freshman shortstop Brandon Smith walked and stole second and freshman second baseman Charlie St. Clair also drew a walk. Junior center fielder Collin Radack and Ritz followed with back-to-back run-scoring singles and junior Jacob Perschke hit a sacrifice fly, plating Radack and cutting the deficit to 9-5.

The Warriors made it a one-run game in the seventh on a RBI single from Perschke and a two-run double by Simmons.

Berry tacked on three more runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth for the final 14-8 tally.

Radack went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a RBI, extending his hitting streak to 16 games, for Hendrix. Ritz added three hits and a RBI and Simmons had two hits and three driven in. Center fielder Stephen Gaylor went 2-for-4 with four runs scored for Berry. Skelton went 3-for-5 with four driven in and Nick Stidham had two hits and four driven in as well.

Casey Gray (2-1) earned the win for the Vikings, allowing five hits, four earned runs, two walks and striking out four in five innings. Perschke (1-2) was tagged with the loss, giving up eight hits, six earned runs, a walk and fanning six in three innings. Sophomore Grant Nunn threw four innings of relief for Hendrix and struck out three, gave up two hits, a run and two walks.

Hendrix and Berry will play the second game of the series on Saturday at 2 p.m.