Barons drop two games in weekend action

MOUNT VERNON -- Good baseball teams get better when they have a lead, and the Brewton-Parker College Barons found out over the weekend that Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Eagles are good.

On Friday, Feb. 6, Embry-Riddle beat the Barons 10-1 at University Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Fla., then came back Saturday and shut the Barons out 10-0 to complete a sweep of the teams' two-game series.

"They have a tremendous pitching staff that just gets better when they are up" said BPC head coach Chad Parker.

The Barons (0-3) managed only one hit in the Embry-Riddle series opener when, in the sixth inning, senior Jason Halstead of Cartersville, Ill., singled to score junior Johnny King of Teutopolis, Ill. King had walked then stolen second.

The Eagles, on the other hand, teed off on the Brewton-Parker pitching for 14 hits. Junior right-hander Matthew Robinson of Ocilla started on the mound for BPC and was handed the loss after giving up 11 hits, including one home run, for eight runs allowed (seven earned).

Junior Chris Langlois of New Port Richey, Fla., had a one-hitter through six innings in getting the win for Embry-Riddle.

The next day, BPC managed two hits against the Embry-Riddle pitching staff but did not score, while the Eagles again got 10 men across home plate.

Junior left-hander Trae Wiggins of Stockbridge took the loss, going four innings while giving up eight hits and three walks for eight runs. Wiggins also struck out four.

Junior Jonathan Davis of Savannah and senior Dax Mezo of Herrin, Ill., each went 1-for-3 in the game. Embry-Riddle junior Patrick Ryan of Brooksville, Fla., who had a perfect game going through five innings, was the winning pitcher for the Eagles.

"We were tentative, did not go after them," said Parker. "They are so fundamentally sound that if you do not go in there with the right mind frame it makes it hard to mount anything against them."

Embry-Riddle (now 7-0) has finished each of the last three years ranked No. 3 in the NAIA nationally, so the Barons knew they were in for a test as they traveled south for the game.

"As far as talent goes, they are not 10 runs better then us," said Parker. "I was really disappointed in our mental approach."

The Barons look to bounce back when they open play in the home-opening Brewton-Parker Invitational with a doubleheader Wednesday against Claflin University (S.C.) starting at 5 p.m.

The Barons then entertain Benedictine College (S.C.) on Thursday at 4 p.m., Tennessee Temple University on Friday at 7 p.m. and on Saturday play host to Embry-Riddle at 10 a.m. and Tennessee Temple again at 4 p.m.

Brewton-Parker then travels to Orangeburg, S.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 17, to play Claflin in a twin bill beginning at 2 p.m.

-BPC-