Despite wintery weather, Baseball starts season strong

 The Davidson Wildcats baseball team started their season with flying colors, sweeping their series against the George Washington Colonials this weekend. The teams were supposed to have a three-game series, but inclement weather forced the second game of the series to end early in favor of the while the third game, scheduled for Sunday, was cancelled.

            In the Friday fixture, the ’Cats dug themselves into a hole, allowing two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Forrest Brandt ’14 provided the inspiration for the comeback. Staring down a full count, he held his nerve and blasted a shot over the left field fence for his first career grand slam to give Davidson a 5-3 lead. Brandt delivered in a bases-loaded situation again in the eighth inning, singling to center field and bringing in two runs to increase the advantage to 7-3. Right-hander Matt Saeta ’15 closed the game out for the Wildcats over two innings. Saeta surrendered a two-run homer in the ninth, but held it together to preserve the win. He struck out the next two batters and forced a ground out for his first save of the season.

            Brandt’s heroics were aided by performances from the return of Jack McLindon ’13, who missed all of last year due to injury. McLindon went 2-3, walked, and also hit by a pitch, reaching base four times in the game. He also made two incredible catches from his second base position, one being an inning-ending catch that prevented a run. Andrew Barna ’13 and new-comer Lee Miller ’16 each added three hits to the powerful Davidson offense. RHP Clark Beeker ’15 earned a no-decision after an indifferent performance, allowing three runs and five hits and striking out two hitters. Bryan DaCanal ’13 earned the win after getting two outs in the seventh inning.

            The teams returned to Wilson Field for the second game in the series on Saturday afternoon. George Washington jumped out two an early two-run lead, scoring in the first and fourth innings. The Wildcats stormed back to claim the lead, with a new cast of characters leading the charge. Catcher Daniel Gerow ’14 hit an RBI-double to halve the Colonial lead and Miller’s two-run shot, his first career homer, gave the Wildcats a slender 3-2 lead. Miller continued the bright start to his fledgling career, hitting an RBI-double to increase the lead to 4-2. Right fielder Nathan Becker ’14 brought home two more runs with a double to bring Davidson’s lead to 6-2 after six innings. The Colonials fought back to cause some nervous moments for the ’Cats, scoring three runs to cut the lead to 6-5. GW had one man on base with two outs, but was left to wonder about what could have been if they had more time. Snow and lightning forced cancellation of the game and since the game reached seven innings the game was considered official, giving Davidson another victory over the Colonials. Ryan Lowe (1-0) pitched six innings in his first career start, surrendering two runs on four hits, walking two, and striking out four.

            Davidson (2-0) looks to continue its excellent start to the season against NC Central on Wednesday. Go ’Cats!