Shaw Pitchers Shine in Doubleheader Sweep Of Saint Paul's
(Raleigh, NC) – Shaw pitchers stole the spotlight in the Bears doubleheader sweep of Saint Paul's, but in entirely different ways.
In game one, Patrick Pipkins scattered five hits, making his teammates' one run stand up as Shaw won 1-0.
In the second game, Franklyn Johnson, making his first pitching appearance of the season, allowed eight earned runs, but drove in eight himself – and scored another 4 – and took home the 21-12 victory.
Larry Johnson scored the only run in the first game, reaching on a single, advancing to second on a walk, and then coming home on two successive sacrifice flies.
Saint Paul's out hit the Bears five to three in that game, but Pipkins never allowed more than a single, or more than one hit in an inning. Only one Tiger runner made it past second, and did so on a throwing error.
The second game defied the statistics. Shaw scored 21 runs – 15 of them earned – on only 10 hits. Saint Paul's garnered 15 hits, with nine runs earned. The Tigers committed six errors, while Shaw had only four miscues. Tiger pitchers, all four of them, walked 10 batters, while Franklyn Johnson walked four.
Saint Paul's did hold the lead for two and a half innings courtesy of two runs in the first. In the bottom of the third, the Bears took advantage of two Tiger errors, two walks and a hit batsman to score five runs.
While Saint Paul's did add two runs to their side of the scoreboard in the top of the fourth, the Bears responded with five of their own, including two off a two-run double by Larry Johnson. The Bears added another six runs in the fifth, including four off a Franklyn Johnson grand slam.
Franklyn Johnson's two-run double in the sixth started another five-run outburst from the Bears. Saint Paul's scored four in the top of the seventh, but the Bears came away with the easy victory 21-12.
As a hitter in game two, Franklyn Johnson was three for four – lacking only a triple for the cycle – reached base on a walk, drove in eight, and scored four times. Both Trevin Jackson and Jerome Herrington drove in three and Herrington also scored four.
The wins bring the Bears to 8-20 on the season, 6-10 in the CIAA. Tomorrow, the Bears travel to Elizabeth City State for a crucial doubleheader that will likely decide which of the two teams make the conference tournament. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.
