LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (February 5, 2020) - No. 4 St. Thomas University (STU) Bobcats Baseball continued its season-opening road trip and began playing in the Southeast Rumble with a doubleheader against No. 21 Bryan College and No. 3 Georgia Gwinnett College on Friday afternoon.

#4 STU lost 9-5 against No 21 Bryan in game one of the doubleheader and followed with a 7-6 extra innings win against No. 3 Georgia Gwinnett

Game 1 vs. #21 Bryan College

Bobcat Starters

• Kobe Lopez - Shortstop
• Josue Rangel - Second Base
• Alejandro Rivero - Third Base
• Andrew Fernandez - Catcher
• Robin Fernandez - First Base
• Jack Khawly - Left Field
• Daniel Mondejar - Designated Hitter
• Orlando Borroto - Right Field
• Joey Thompson - Center Field
• Gio Soto - Starting Pitcher

Game Notes

• The Lions loaded the bases due to two Bobcat errors, but Soto was able to escape the jam without allowing a run. 
• Lopez started the game with a lead-off double for STU and scored on an RBI single from Rivero, giving St. Thomas an early 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first.
• Soto tallied three strikeouts, working around a walk and a single, preserving the 1-0 lead.
• Lopez led off the bottom of the third with a single to right field and moved into scoring position following a walk by Rivero. 
• A. Fernandez brought in Lopez with an RBI single, extending the Bobcats lead to 2-0.
• R. Fernandez followed with an RBI base hit of his own, bringing in the second STU run of the inning and pushing the lead to 3-0.
• Jimmy Galvis Jr. entered the game in the fourth inning for STU.
• Galvis allowed all five batters to reach base and was relieved by Andy Quintana, with the score at 3-2.
• Quintana recorded an out before being replaced by Robert Touron with two outs in the top of the fourth and the bases loaded.
• Touron escaped the jam with a pop-out on the infield and kept the score at 3-2.
• Rangel started the bottom of the fifth with a walk and quickly scored as Rivero recorded the first STU home run of the season, extending the score to 5-2 with a two-run homer.
• Bryan College plated another run, scoring on an RBI double and putting the score at 5-3.
• The game remained 5-3 until the top of the eighth inning, as Bryan scored six runs, including four following an error with two outs, capped off with a two-run home run to take a 9-5 lead.

Game 2 vs. #3 Georgia Gwinnett College

Bobcat Starters

• Lopez - Shortstop
• Rangel - Second Base
• Rivero - Third Base 
• A. Fernandez - First Base
• R. Fernandez - Designated Hitter
• Khawly - Right Field
• Mondejar - Catcher
• Emanuel Montesino - Left Field
• Thompson - Center Field
• Ernesto Pino - Starting Pitcher

Game Notes

• The Grizzlies jumped out to an early 3-0 lead over the Bobcats, hitting a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. 
• After a 1-2-3 inning from the STU offense, GGC added their fourth run of the game with an RBI triple to extend their lead to 4-0 over St. Thomas.
• Mondejar launched his first home run of the season to lead off the third inning and getting STU on the board.
• Thompson maintained the momentum by reaching via a walk and stealing second during Lopez's at-bat.
• Rangel followed with a single to right field, driving in Thompson and Lopez to bring the Bobcats back within one run, 4-3.
• STU tied the game with a sacrifice fly from Rivero to drive in Rangel.
• A second error from the Grizzlies allowed St. Thomas to plate the fifth run in the inning, giving STU a 5-4 advantage.
• Pino settled into a groove, striking out three in the bottom of the third inning.
• The Bobcat ace opened the fourth inning with his fourth consecutive out via strikeout before allowing a double.
• After a one-out walk, Pino induced a fly out and added another strikeout to end the frame.
• Pino's evening ended after six strong innings, as Jose Machado was called into the game to begin the bottom of the seventh.
• GGC had runners on second and third, posing their best scoring threat since the second inning.
• Machado escaped the inning with a strikeout looking, maintaining a 5-4 advantage over Georgia Gwinnett.
• A. Fernandez began the eighth inning with a double to left field. 
• Khawly managed to get a sacrifice bunt down after Orlando Borroto drew a walk, putting two runners into scoring position.
• Gus Guerra came off the bench as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded, following an intentional walk to Mondejar.
• On the first pitch of Guerra's at-bat, Lowry came into score on a wild to give STU an insurance run, extending the lead to 6-4.
• The Grizzlies began the bottom of the eighth inning with a walk and an RBI double to put the score at 6-5.
• Grana entered the game in relief of Machado, inheriting runners at first and third with one out.
• GGC tied the game 6-6 on a sacrifice fly.
• Grana ended the inning with a swinging strikeout, leaving the game tied as the Bobcats and Grizzlies went into the ninth tied 6-6.
• Grana set the Grizzlies down in order in the ninth to send the game into extra innings.
• Khawly reached base on a walk and on a pick-off attempt, scored all the way from first base due to two Grizzlies errors as STU took a 7-6.
• Grana continued into the tenth inning for St. Thomas, earning his first win of the 2021 campaign, as Lopez and Rangel turned a game-ending double play.

MVBobcats

Daniel Mondejar: 1-2 HR

Jason Grana: (1-0), 2.2 IP

Upcoming

No. 4 STU continues to play in the Southeast Rumble on Saturday, February 6, taking on No. 8 University of the Cumberlands from the Grizzly Baseball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.

-STU-