Salisbury, N.C. —- The Catawba College baseball team out-scored Saint Michael's College 23-2 across a Saturday doubleheader at Newman Park, including a 20-hit outburst in game number two. The Catawba Indians improve to 14-9 overall, while the Purple Knights drop to 0-6 on the year.
Brandon Rodgers had his best outing of the year in the early game, giving up one run on three hits and one walk and struck out seven in eight strong innings to earn his second win of the season on the mound.
Cooper Bryson led the offense with a three-hit game and a steal, while Jackson Finger recorded a pair of doubles and Levi Perrell went 2-for-3 with two RBI, two runs scored and a steal.
Dylan Driver and Bryson got aboard with one away in the bottom of the second before Perrell got Catawba on the board with a two-out RBI single. Saint Michael's answered back with a home run down the left field line in the top of the second inning.
Perrell scored in the fourth on a throwing error to return the Catawba lead. Jackson Mitchell pushed the lead to two with an RBI single in the fifth and Bryson scored on the next at-bat on a throwing error to give Catawba a 4-1 lead after five innings.
Perrell and Finger recorded back-to-back RBI base-hits in the seventh to add extra insurance, but Griffyn Shelton would not need it, retiring the side in order in the ninth to wrap up the first game.
Perrell and Cameron Mills got the high-scoring second game started with RBI base hits in the first and second innings, respectively to put Catawba up 2-0 after two innings. The Purple Knights got a run back in the top of the fourth, but Ty Hubbard scored Drew Robertson on a sacrifice fly to restore the two-run lead.
Catawba's offense exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the fifth, including six runs with two outs to turn the slim 3-1 lead into a commanding 11-1 advantage. Both teams introduced players from the bench from that point forward, as Catawba eventually extended the lead to the final 17-1 margin.
Mason Gwyn was effective again on the mound, moving to 4-0 on the season while allowing an unearned run on two hits and a walk, striking out five in five innings. Brandon McSorley earned the three-inning save, leaving SMC scoreless and striking out three.
Catawba and Saint Michael's wrap up their three-game set with a 1 p.m. matchup tomorrow.
