Danville, Ky. - Hendrix's best-ever postseason run in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) came to a close on Saturday in the championship game as Centre walked it off with a solo shot to win 3-2.
2024 marked the first time that the Warriors had advanced to the final weekend of the SAA playoffs since 2012, and the first time that they had played for a conference championship since they won the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) in 2009.
Hendrix got the scoring started early in the 1st inning as
Owen Shaw stepped up with two on and one out and laced a single out to right field to score
Zach Marriott for the game's opening run.
In the 2nd inning, it was Marriott's turn to drive in a run. With two on and two gone, Marriott dumped a single into centerfield that allowed
Charlie Deaton to score from second base.
Aiden Leggett got the start on the mound and produced a quality start, allowing two runs on three hits in 5.1 innings with three strikeouts. He put the Colonels down in order in three different innings.
Dylan Kalmus entered in relief of
Nathan Silva in the 7th inning with the game even at 2-2.
Kalmus' first action was picking off a runner at first for the first out of the inning. After allowing two runners aboard with one out, he was then able to turn a 13 double play after a sharp line-out.
The Warrior bats went 1-2-3 in the top of the 8th. Centre threatened in the home half of the inning with the go-ahead run reaching third with no outs, but with one out and runners on the corners,
Hogan Ralston fielded a ground ball and went home with it to throw out the go-ahead run and keep the game at 2-2. The Colonels eventually loaded the bases, but Kalmus got out of the jam by inducing a fly-out to centerfield and turn the game back over to the Warrior bats.
But Hendrix would go down in order for the second-consecutive inning, and Centre wasted no time making them pay as the lead-off man homered to open the bottom of the 9th and clinch the postseason crown for the Colonels.
The Warriors end the 2024 season with a 27-19 (12-9 SAA) record after putting together the most exciting postseason run of their 11-year history in the SAA with wins over Sewanee and Rhodes.
