Petrels Outlast Atlanta Christian in Wild 12-10 Game

The Oglethorpe baseball team got more than they bargained for from the crosstown Atlanta Christian Chargers on Tuesday night, but came out with a hard-fought 12-10 victory in the end.

It looked as if the homestanding Petrels would run away with it after a seven-run fifth inning gave them an 8-3 lead. All seven runs were unearned for the Chargers pitching staff, and it took them four pitchers to get through the inning.

The inning started with a two-base error on the Atlanta Christian third baseman, allowing Jake Spear to reach. RBI singles by Jeff Pope and J.J. Rizzo followed, and Andy Farrey was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, driving in another run. Stephen Archer followed with the big blow, a laser off the top of the left-center field wall and over for a grand slam, giving the Petrels the five-run cushion.

However, the Chargers tallied seven runs of their own over the next two innings, including a nightmare seventh inning for the Petrels pitching staff in which Atlanta Christian drove in four runs without the benefit of a hit. They scored directly on two bases-loaded walks, a bases-loaded hit batsman, and a fielder's choice on which Matthew Cornwell forced a throw to second in an attempt to start an inning-ending double play, and wound up getting nobody.

The Chargers held a 10-8 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.

In that half-inning, the Petrels scored four runs to take control of the game back from the Chargers. After a leadoff walk by Andrew Lofholm, Rizzo brought the Petrels to within one with an RBI double. Farrey tied the game, bringing Rizzo home with an RBI single.

The Petrels then took the lead on an RBI single by Ben Giddens, and extended it to 12-10 when the Chargers shortstop muffed a throw trying to catch Giddens stealing at second. The error allowed Archer to score the insurance run for the final tally.

The Petrels got excellent pitching over the final two innings from Brad Brickhouse and Cornwell. Cornwell picked up the Petrels' first save of the year.

John Gibbs got the win in relief, his second of the year.

The win improves the Petrels' record to 10-3 on the year. They will next be in action on Wednesday evening at LaGrange. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., weather permitting.