March 4, 2023
Waxahachie, TX – On Saturday evening at Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) in Waxahachie, Texas, the Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) Lions baseball team faced the No. 19 University of Science and Arts (USAO) Drovers in a doubleheader for their first Sooner Athletics Conference (SAC) contest of the 2023 season.
Game 1:
The opening game of the three-game series between the SAGU Lions and the USAO Drovers (rated 19th nationally) got off to a fast start for the SAGU Lions.
In game one, the Lions' starting pitcher, Michael Watson, threw a full-game victory, pitching seven innings while allowing only one run and recording ten vicious strikeouts.
Offensively, the Lions scored six runs on three hits; they got off to a furious start in the first inning with a double from Bryson Collins, but the bats went silent until the fifth inning.
To bring Nick Mosley home in the fifth inning, Matt Daiy singled. The Lions would then extend their lead in scoring in the sixth inning thanks to an additional run from AJ Garcia.
Overall, SAGU's offense did a fantastic job of moving runners and executing to score their three runs against a formidable Drovers defense. The three runs were sufficient for SAGU to stun USAO.
Game 2:
The Lions were able to sweep the day, winning the second game by a score of 8 to 6 despite the Drovers getting off to a hot start plating four runs in the first inning.
The Lion team remained resilient and got three runs back in the first inning. Thanks to walks and a timely hit from Nick Mosley.
Timothy Compomizzi had a huge RBI knock in the bottom of the third inning, and Cade Hendricks followed with a two-RBI single.
The second game of the day was highly contested and featured furious scoring, but in the sixth inning, Bryson Collins put the game away with a solo shot; Bryson Collins paced the SAGU offense in the game with two hits, two runs scored, and an RBI.
On the pitching side, Ethan Nors gave the Lions four innings and left the game with the lead. Jadon Harper and Reagan Smith each came in and threw an inning. Reagan got the game-win after throwing a perfect inning in a tough spot for the Lions.
Cornacchione's Corner
"In game one, Michael again showed why he's one of the best-starting pitchers in the country. Timely hitting and great team baseball, both on the mound and offensively, helped us come back and finish the doubleheader. USAO will bounce back tomorrow, so we need to be ready for a hard-fought finish to this series," said SAGU head baseball coach Matt Cornachione.
The Next Step
On Sunday, March 5th, Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) will face the No.19 University of Science and Arts (USAO) in Waxahachie, Texas, for a Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) showdown.
As a leading Christian university, SAGU educates and prepares individuals who want to serve Christ and others. SAGU helps students discover and develop their God-given callings in a Spirit-empowered, learning community. We believe in affordable tuition, made possible in part through the financial support of donors who embrace the mission of SAGU and the importance of affordable, accredited programs to train Christians for leadership in ministry, business, education, and service. Most majors are available in-person in Waxahachie, TX, and online through a wide range of associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.
