Huntingdon rallies but comes up short at Covenant

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga.  – The Huntingdon baseball team rallied twice but came up short 13-11 against Covenant on Friday in Game 1 of a three-game conference series.

The Hawks fell behind 5-0 in the first two innings before answering with six runs in the top of the third inning. Covenant regained the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third inning and five runs in the fourth inning to make it a 12-6 game.

Both teams scored in the sixth inning, with the Hawks adding two runs and Covenant scoring one run. Trailing 13-8 in the eighth inning, Nick Swisher drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double to cut Covenant's lead to two runs. But Huntingdon could not overtake the Scots.

Swisher finished with five RBIs, a run, two hits and a double and Colton Clark had three runs, two hits and a double. Colin Whibbs drove in two runs, scored two runs and had a double, Ryan Greene had two RBIs, two hits and a double and Dawson Kuba scored two runs and had two hits. Hall Billings had one RBI, one run and one double, Andrew Knight had one RBI and one run and Jacob Pitts scored one run.

Starter Ethan Hess (0-1) took the loss in 2 1/3 innings. Reliever Andrew Tubbs pitched the final 4 2/3 innings, striking out six, walking two, allowing four hits and one run.

Records: Huntingdon (9-14, 1-5 USA South); Covenant (16-8, 2-2 USA South)              

Coming Up: Huntingdon and Covenant will wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Saturday. Game 1 is set for 11 a.m. (Central).