OWENSBORO, Ky. - The Midway University baseball team split a high-scoring doubleheader against Brescia University on Saturday afternoon, picking up a 7-6 win in the opener before falling 24-10 in the nightcap.
The split proved beneficial to both teams, as each clinched a spot in the River States Conference Tournament.
GAME ONE: MIDWAY 7, BRESCIA 6
Midway started strong in the opener, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Eli Glasscock delivered an RBI single before Barrett McGill added a sacrifice fly to push across the second run.
The Bearcats battled back and eventually took the lead with a three-run home run in the third inning to go ahead 4-2.
Midway cut into the deficit with a sacrifice fly from Grant Stone in the fourth before reclaiming the lead with two runs in the sixth inning. Stone doubled home a run, and Glasscock followed with a go-ahead RBI single.
McGill added a solo home run in the top of the seventh to make it 6-5, but Brescia capitalized on a Midway error to tie the game in the bottom half.
In the eighth, Peyton Henry singled and advanced to third on a misplay before coming home to score the eventual winning run. Jackson Lee pitched a clean bottom of the eighth to secure the 7-6 win for the Eagles.
GAME TWO: BRESCIA 24, MIDWAY 10
Game two turned into an offensive shootout, with Brescia exploding for 24 runs on 17 hits, aided by 13 walks and six hit batters issued by the Midway pitching staff.
The Eagles jumped ahead early once again, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run home run by D.J. Morain. Morain added a solo home run in the third as Midway built a 6-4 advantage through three innings.
However, Brescia responded with six runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by a grand slam from Bryce Gamble.
Although Midway would tie the game 10-10 on a solo home run from Mahrlon Torres, Brescia answered with a 14-run sixth inning, taking full advantage of wildness from the Eagles' bullpen.
Both teams are now 11-12 in the River States Conference and will conclude the regular season against each other at 1 p.m. in Owensboro tomorrow. The winner will be the fifth seed at next week's River States Conference Tournament, with the loser getting the sixth spot.
