By Matthew D. Stokes
BerryVikings.com Staff Writer

ROME, Ga. – Berry saw a three-run lead evaporate in a matter of a half inning as visiting Greensboro scored eight times in the top of the fourth on its way to a 13-9 win at William R. Bowdoin Field on Sunday afternoon.

After allowing a run in each of the first two innings, the Vikings found themselves trailing the Pride 2-0 going into the bottom of the third frame.

But in that home half of the third inning, Brandyn Jackson was hit by a Ramel Graham pitch then proceeded to steal second base moments later. The next hitter, TC Boyd, stroked a RBI double down the left field line, scoring Jackson from second. Several hitters later, Zach Farmer lined a single into right field, scoring Boyd and tying the game at two runs apiece. Two hitters down the lineup, Drew McDuffie drove home Austin Neely with a RBI groundout, breaking the tie. To cap off the scoring, Kevin Scott hit a grounder that went between the legs of Pride third baseman Austin Catherina into right field, allowing Cason Dremann and Farmer to score.

In the top of the fourth, left-handed pitcher Mitch Cohen made his Berry debut with his team leading 5-2.

By the time Cohen departed, Greensboro had tied the game, 5-5, after the freshman retired one out of the seven batters he faced. Cohen pitched a third of an inning, allowing two base hits, six runs (three earned) and one base on balls.

Daniel Boccella relieved Cohen and went on to allow a three-run triple to Pride catcher Joshua Powell during the inning. Boccella was charged with two runs, neither of which were earned.

All in all seven pitchers made appearances for Berry.

"The only good thing about it is we got a lot of pitchers in," said Berry head coach David Beasley of the team's effort on the mound.

Berry was hurt significantly by its fielding woes on Sunday, committing six errors overall. McDuffie was charged with three while his double play partner, Austin Neely, had two. Preston Neely made Berry's other error when he failed to catch a ball off the bat of Pride rightfielder Seth Caison in that fateful fourth inning.

"We didn't play good defense all weekend," Beasley said. "That's something we've always been known for…playing good defense. That's something that we're going to work on tomorrow."

On the hill, Berry started Josh Dilbeck, who pitched three innings and allowed five hits and two earned runs while also striking out two batters. For Greensboro, Graham tossed four and a third innings, allowing six hits and seven runs (four earned) and walking four hitters.
Cohen (0-1) was tagged with the loss for Berry, while David Schilling (1-0) picked up the victory for Greensboro. Schilling, who entered the game in the bottom of the fifth, pitched four and two-third innings, allowing three hits and two earned while also walking three batters as well as fanning three others.

Farmer led the Vikings' offensive charge with two hits and two runs batted in. Powell was the offensive star for Greensboro, finishing with four hits, four runs scored and another three runs driven in.

The Vikings will return to Bowdoin Field this Friday at 3:30 p.m. when they face Emory University.

- BerryVikings.com -