FERRUM, Va. -- Ferrum College split a Conference Carolinas doubleheader with Shorter on Saturday afternoon at Panther Field, earning a 6-2 victory in game one before falling 10-6 in game two.
RECORDS
Ferrum 12–13 (7–11 CC)
Shorter 11–15 (3–15 CC)
GAME ONE
Ferrum opened the day with a strong 6-2 win behind a complete-game effort from Hunter Carlson and a balanced offensive attack.
The Panthers struck first with two runs in the opening inning and regained the lead for good in the fourth on an RBI single from Eli Elliott after Shorter tied the game in the third. Ferrum broke it open in the sixth inning, scoring three runs highlighted by triples from Jayden Singleton and CJ Kemmerer, along with RBI hits from Smith Dickinson and Tyler Mason.
Carlson earned the win, tossing a complete game while allowing just two runs (one earned) on five hits and striking out five.
Ferrum totaled 12 hits in the opener, with Kemmerer, Jachob Walters, and Garrett Pancione each recording two hits.
KEY STATS
Ferrum: Kemmerer 2-3, 3B, RBI; Walters 2-3; Pancione 2-3; Mason 1-4, RBI; Dickinson 1-1, RBI
Shorter: Shipman 1-4, RBI; Cobb 1-3, RBI; Rowe 1-3, 2B; Henriquez 1-4, 2B
GAME TWO
Shorter responded in game two, building an early lead and holding off Ferrum late to secure a 10-6 win.
The Hawks scored in each of the first four innings, jumping out to a 6-2 lead, and extended the advantage to 8-2 in the fifth. Ferrum answered with two runs in the fifth on a two-run single from Colin Kim and added another in the sixth on an RBI triple by Niko Papathanasiou to cut the deficit to 8-5.
Shorter added two insurance runs in the eighth on a home run from Michael Barron. Ferrum mounted a late rally in the ninth, loading the bases and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Hunter Carlson, but could not close the gap.
Kim and Matthew Graham each drove in two runs for the Panthers, while Papathanasiou added an RBI and a triple.
KEY STATS
Ferrum: Kim 1-3, 2 RBI; Graham 1-4, 2 RBI; Papathanasiou 1-4, 3B, RBI; Mason 1-5, 2B
Shorter: Barron 2-4, HR, 2 RBI; Shipman 2-6, 2 RBI; Henriquez 3-5, RBI; Newberry 2-5, 2 RBI
UP NEXT
The Ferrum College baseball team, led by head coach Eric Owens, returns to action next weekend for a Conference Carolinas series against North Greenville University. The three-game set begins Friday, March 27, with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Panther Field.