The Thomas College Terriers baseball team split a pair of games with Loras College in Auburndale, Florida on Wednesday afternoon.
In the first game, Thomas built an early 3-0 before Loras responded scoring eight runs in the bottom of the second inning roughing up Thomas starter Payton Kennison to take a 8-3 lead. Kennison had all eight runs charged against him on five hits in just 1.2 innings pitched.
Thomas responded in a big way though scoring 11 runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a commanding 14-8 lead and would capture the 15-9 victory.
The top three hitters in the Thomas lineup, Anree Benitez, Derek Kane and Nik Beeson combined for 11 hits and eight runs driven in to help the Terriers to the game one victory. Beeson had three hits and three knocked in just in the fourth inning. The top three were a combined 11-14 at the plate. Beeson was 5-5 and Benitez was 4-4.
Brandon Hubbard (1-0) earned the win in relief of Kennison going 2.1 innings allowed four hits, no runs, walked none and struck out two.
In the second game, Loras shut down the Terriers offense in a 6-0 win to help garner the split.
Patrick Walsh (1-0) earned the win on the mound for Loras going seven innings, allowing five hits, walking two and striking out six.
Zach Mathieu had a pair of hits for the Terriers while Benitez, Kane and Beeson were a combined 2-8 after a hot first game of the day.
Taylor Bacon (0-1) took the loss on the hill for Thomas going five innings, allowing five hits, six runs, only two earned, walking two and striking out five. The defense committed three errors behind him to help Loras come away with the victory.
Loras College is now 5-4 while Thomas falls to 2-4 on the season. Thomas returns to action Thursday morning when it faces Grove City in Auburndale, Florida for a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
