Baseball Sweeps Season Opener

The Spring Hill College Badgers (2-0, 2-0) opened the 2008 season with flair, sweeping Tougaloo College in a Saturday afternoon doubleheader by the scores of 10-0 and 19-0.

In the first game, starting pitcher sophomore Nick Clapper (1-0) came within two outs of registering a perfect game before Tougaloo’s left-fielder Anthony Triplett laced a single down the third base line in the fifth and final inning.  Clapper totaled 11 strikeouts over the game shortened by the 10-run Mercy Rule.

SHC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning off back-to-back singles by centerfielder Justin Harrison and designated hitter Tyler Moberg who were then driven in by a double by first baseman Sam Stewart.  The Badgers would plate three more in the third inning and blew the game up in the fourth inning with five runs.

Moberg had three hits in three at bats and scored three runs while catcher Billy Saliski drove in three runs. 

Starting pitcher Warren Mason fell to (0-1) for Tougaloo.

In the nightcap, the Badgers led 7-0 after three innings and exploded for an eight-run fourth.  Aided by three Tougaloo errors, the Badgers also recorded four walks and a hit batter in the frame.  The final three Badger runs of the night came off the bat of right fielder Ryan Hall who drove the team’s first homer of the season over the left field fence in the sixth inning.

Hall collected four RBI for the game while Moberg also drove in three runners.  Shortstop Patrick White enjoyed three hits in three at bats and scored four runs.

Tougaloo pitching gave up 14 walks in the second game.  Reginald Burton (0-1) took the loss for the Bulldogs and Taylor Chadick (1-0) was the winner with six strikeouts and two walks in five innings pitched.

SHC next plays LSU-Shreveport on Friday at Stan Galle Field.