April 15, 2008

                Dayton, Tn.—The Berry College Vikings returned to Dayton on Tuesday afternoon to play the 5^th and final game of the year against the Lions. Bryan dropped a twin bill to the Vikings last week, but had since won 4 straight and 7 out of their last 10 coming into Tuesday’s game. On the hill for the Lions was Mark Barnwell (Jr., Crab Orchard, TN), a transfer from Roane State who had not seen much time on the mound this season. The Vikings wasted no time in getting to Barnwell, plating a run in the 1^st, a run in the 2^nd and 5 in the 3^rd to take a 7-1 lead after 4 innings. Bryan’s 1^st inning run came off the bat of Brad Starnes (Sr., Matthews, NC) who scored Michael Kent (Sr., Lookout Mtn., GA) with a double into the gap in left center. The double was Starnes’ 35^th of his career, setting a new record at Bryan for career two baggers.

                Leading 7-1 in the 5^th inning, the Vikings tacked 2 more runs onto their lead when Ryan Starr’s drive to left field cleared the wall for a homerun, and stretched the advantage to 10-1 with another run in the 6th. The Lions battled back in the bottom of the 5^th as Jeremiah Peters (Sr., Sherwood, AR) sent a 3-run homerun into the top of the batting cages beyond the fence in left centerfield. The Lions plated 2 more runs in the 7^th inning to claw to within five, down 11-6, but the two teams went down quietly in the 8^th and 9^th as the game ended with the Vikings on top 11-6.

                The Lions did manage 11 hits in the loss, but made 3 errors and allowed 9 runners to reach base via walks or hit by pitch. Adam Polston (Fr., Palmyra, TN) threw yet another scoreless inning of relief out of the pen for the Lions. In his last 8 innings of work, Polston has allowed just 4 hits and only 1 run, recording 3 wins in his last 4 appearances for the Lions. The freshman will be looked upon for big things as the season comes to a close and the Lions head into the post-season.

                The loss drops the Lions to 18-23 on the year heading into a weekend series with the 10^th ranked Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs on Saturday. First Pitch is scheduled for 1PM.