Huntingdon opens Rhodes Tournament with win over Covenant

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Huntingdon baseball team scored eight runs in the first four innings and knocked off Covenant 12-6 on Friday in the Rhodes Tournament.

Seniors Landon Sessions and Jordan Criswell combined to drive in six runs in the game, including four of the first six runs. A two-run single by Criswell brought in two runs in the first inning and a two-run homer by Sessions made it 6-3 in the third inning. The home run was Sessions' first as a Hawk.

In between, Huntingdon (7-1) scored two runs on a pair of Covenant errors as Alec Raley scored in the second inning and Criswell scored in the third.

The Hawks went ahead 8-4 in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by Criswell and a Covenant error that allowed Cody Shoemaker to score. An RBI single by Cheston Wesson made it 9-4 in the sixth inning and an RBI single by Raley made it 10-5 in the seventh.

The Hawks closed their scoring with two runs in the eighth inning. A Session double brought in one run and freshman Jay Jordan scored the Hawks' final run on a balk.

Sessions was one of four Hawks with multiple hits and finished 3-for-5 with the home run, three RBIs and two runs. Senior Patrick Kucera was 3-for-6 with a run, Criswell was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run and Raley was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run.

Jordan and senior Anthony Spivey each scored two runs, Wesson had one RBI and Shoemaker, Coleson Taylor and Mason Throneberry each scored one run.

Senior Zack Watson (2-1) picked up the win in six innings, striking out two, walking two, allowing two earned runs and giving up 11 hits. Sophomore C.J. Sauce pitched the final three innings to earn the save.

Huntingdon returns to action in the Rhodes Tournament on Saturday against two nationally ranked teams. The Hawks will play seventh-ranked Rhodes at 2 p.m. Due to the weather forecast for Sunday, Huntingdon's game with fifth-ranked Webster has been moved to Saturday at 7 p.m.