ROME, Ga. - Berry scored twice in the sixth inning to break open a tied ballgame and defeat Bates 6-4 in the second game of a doubleheader at William R. Bowdoin Field Friday.

Bates won the opener 6-2 after scoring four runs in the top of the seventh inning.

In the nightcap, Berry took advantage of a leadoff walk by Cory Pitts, who advanced to second when the next batter, Austin Neely, sacrificed Pitts to second base.  Zach Farmer then gave Berry a 5-4 advantage with an RBI double to deep right-centerfield. 

Thomas Johnson then drew a walk, forcing Bates head coach Mike Leonard to replace pitcher Demitros Gatzogiannis with Pat Siebenlist.  Siebenlist walked the first batter he faced, Jonathan Stump, to load the bases, then gave up a sacrifice fly to Cason Dremann to give Berry the two-run cushion.

The 7-5 lead was more than enough for Berry hurler Elliott Alexander, who retired the side in order on three ground balls in the seventh to seal the victory.

Berry (11-8) twice held a lead before the fateful sixth inning, jumping out to a 3-0 advantage in the fourth, thanks to a run-scoring fielder's choice by Brandyn Jackson, an RBI single from Drew McDuffie and a Jackson's dash home on a wild pitch.

But Bates would tie the score with three runs in the fifth, a frame highlighted by Chris Burke's two-run single to right. 

Again, Berry would take the lead in the bottom of the inning, thanks to Jackson's sacrifice fly, only to give it up in the sixth on Rich Velotta's RBI single.

But Berry would answer with its two sixth-inning runs to claim the win.

Farmer was 2-for-2 and drew a pair of walks for the Vikings.

Mike Ciumiiei was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored for Bates. 

Alexander (1-0) earned the win out of the bullpen for Berry. Alexander allowed one unearned run on two hits and a walk in three innings.

He came on in relief of starter Cameron Rich, who allowed three runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out one batter in four innings.

Gatzogiannis (1-1) took the loss.  He allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings.

The opening game was scoreless until the Bobcats scored single runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings to go ahead 2-0.  But Pitts and Neely delivered RBI singles in the bottom of the sixth to tie the score.

Bates would then explode in the seventh, putting two runs on the board on Burke's two-run single and two more on RBI singles by Pat Murphy and Jake Simon.

Pitts led the Vikings with two hits in the opener.  Murphy, Simon and Ryan Sonberg collected two hits apiece for the Bobcats. Burke and Simon each drove in a pair of runs.

Bates' Karl Alexander (1-0) earned the victory with a complete-game effort.  He scattered eight hits, while striking out one batter and walking none in the seven-inning affair.

Berry starter Casey Gray (3-1) took the loss.  He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in 6 1/3 innings of work.  Gray struck out six batters and walked three. 

Berry and Bates will conclude their four-game series with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.

- BerryVikings.com -