Conway, Ark. - Hendrix failed to complete a five-run rally in Game 1 and could not piggyback off a pitching gem from
Dylan Kalmus in Game 2 as the Warriors fell in their SAA Championship Opening Round series to the Berry Vikings on Saturday.
Game 1 (L, 7-6)
Aiden Leggett (L, 4-4) pitched a couple scoreless frames to begin his outing and was able to work around two fielding errors in the third inning to surrender just one run with the help of a double-play. Hendrix took the lead in the bottom half of the third off a two-out double from
Owen Shaw to score
Nick Echaniz and
Joseph Watts.
Berry then broke the game open in the fourth inning as they loaded the bases early with no outs and put immediate pressure on the Warriors' defense en route to a six-run inning to take a 7-2 lead. Hendrix immediately responded with a four-spot in the home half of the inning. The Warriors loaded the bases with one out, and
Joseph Watts brought in
Austin Rabago on a fielder's choice with a throwing error on the play allowing
Hogan Ralston to score as well. The bases were loaded again after
Shaun Pope was hit by a pitch, and
Zane Nolan followed that up with another hit-by-pitch to score Echaniz.
Owen Shaw sent a sacrifice fly to left field to score Watts for the inning's final run.
From there, the offenses stalled as both teams were held scoreless through the final five innings. Hendrix was only able to manufacture five base-runners during that stretch and left the tying run stranded at third in the bottom of the eighth.
Cole Joyner and
Rowan Glover each tossed two scoreless frames and combined for three strikeouts in their postseason debuts.
Game 2 (L, 2-0)
Dylan Kalmus toed the rubber with the Warriors' season on the line and answered the call with one of his best outings to date, tossing eight scoreless innings while scattering just four hits.
Despite the eight shutout frames from Kalmus, Hendrix was unable to get the offense revved up again after leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the first inning.
Giancarlo Digiacomo led off the inning with a double to left center field, and
Drake Job and
Owen Shaw were both issued free passes to load the bases. However, the next three hitters were all retired to bring a sudden halt to Hendrix's momentum.
After leaving three runners stranded in the first, Hendrix was only able to manage four more baserunners over the next ten innings. The last baserunner came in the sixth inning as
Jacob Carpentier singled down the left field line. From there, the Warriors went down in the order for the rest of the game.
Braxton Waller (L, 4-5) entered in relief of Kalmus in the ninth and tossed two scoreless innings until Berry was able to plate two in the top of the eleventh to break the deadlock. The Warriors had 2, 3, and 4 due up in the bottom half of the inning but were unable to keep the game going as they went down in order.
Hendrix ends the year 19-23 overall with a 9-9 conference finish in their final year in the Southern Athletic Association before moving over to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference next year.
