Keating Sets School Strikeout Record

The Spalding University baseball team took both games of Saturday's doubleheader against Blackburn, 8-0 and 11-1, improving to 29-7 overall. With a 16-3 conference record, the Golden Eagles locked up a minimum of the two seed in the upcoming SLIAC Tournament.

THE BASICS 
SCORES: GM1: SU 8 – BC 0 | GM2: SU 11 – BC 1
LOCATION: Derby City Field | Louisville, Ky.   
RECORDS: Spalding 29-7 (16-3 SLIAC) | Blackburn 9-28 (6-16 SLIAC)

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• In the top of the first, senior pitcher, Jimi Keating struck out Blackburn leadoff man Steven Diaz throwing his 311th career strikeout surpassing Kyle Olliges for the top spot on the Spalding career strikeout list.
• The Golden Eagles got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when Dillon Sievert singled through the left side driving in Garrett Wilson and Clay Kelly.
• SU added three more runs in the third. Eric Meyer singled to center field scoring Wilson for the first run of the inning, Sievert followed with a single to left bringing in Matt Harper and Meyer raced home on a wild pitch to cap it off.
• In the fifth, Meyer doubled driving in Harper for his second run of the game and a Kyle Stevens single brought in Meyer from third to push Spalding's margin to seven runs.
• Wilson led off the sixth with a triple and scored on an error by the shortstop to make the final score, 8-0.

GAME ONE STAT LEADERS

• Garrett Wilson led the Golden Eagles at the plate going 3-for-4 scoring three runs and stealing a base.
• Dillon Sievert drove in a team-high three runs on a 2-for-3 performance.
• Eric Meyer also batted in a pair of runs going 2-for-4 with a double.
• Playing in his final start at Derby City Field, senior Jimi Keating returned from two weeks of rest to earn the win improving to 8-0 on the season. The right-hander held the Beavers scoreless scattering three hits, while striking out 10 batters in 6.0 innings pitched.

FOR THE FOES

• Shane Lewis, Tyler Durand, Walter Jarvis and Nate Bassett each finished with one hit.
• Jonathan Stepp (2-7) suffered the loss allowing seven runs, on 11 hits, while striking out seven batters, in 5.0 innings pitched.

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

• Spalding jumped out to a 2-0 lead following a pair of runs in the second inning. Dillon Sievert scored on a wild pitch for the first run of the game and a Joe Hatcher sacrifice fly allowed Quenton Brownlee tag and score from third for the final run of the inning.
• Leading 2-1 fourth, Hatcher blazed from first to third on a wild pitch before another wild pitch allowed him to score.
• The Golden Eagles pulled away with a five-run fifth inning. Garrett Wilson scored from third on a wild pitch, an Eric Meyer single to center scored Matt Harper for the second run of the inning and Meyer scored following a throwing error by the catcher. Brownlee doubled driving in Sievert, moved to third on a Hatcher fly out to center and scored on a wild pitch.
• SU scored three runs over the sixth and seventh innings to end the game on the 10 after eight run-rule. Wilson scored on a wild pitch in the sixth, Bryce Spalding homered to right center for the first run in the seventh and Zane Baker raced home from third on a wild pitch to end the game.

GAME TWO STAT LEADERS

• Freshman catcher Zane Baker went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
• Quenton Brownlee finished 2-for-4 with a double, scoring two runs and batting in another.
• Garrett Wilson, the nation's leader in runs scored added two more running his total to 61 on the season. Wilson also went 2-for-3 and stole three bases.
• Freshman Jack Parisi moved to 5-1 on the season holding the Beavers to one run, zero earned, on five hits, while striking out eight batters, in 6.0 innings pitched.

FOR THE FOES

• Tyler Durand had a solid day for Beavers going 2-for-3 with two doubles and one RBI.
• Jarrett Sandlin (3-5) took the loss, allowing eight runs, seven earned, on seven hits, while striking out two batters in 4.1 innings pitched.

UP NEXT

• Sunday, the Golden Eagles will hold Senior Day recognizing this year's senior class prior to a nine inning tilt with the Beaver's at 1:00 pm EST.