Senior Southpaw Allows Five Hits, One Run In 6-1 Region Win

John Allen would probably be the first to tell you that his last game wasn't very good as he allowed seven runs in less than three innings in an 8-2 loss at Silverdale for his first setback of the season.  His teammates did very little in support as they only had two hits in that game.

But Monday was a new day, a new game and another opportunity to prove themselves and the senior Baylor southpaw did just that as he allowed just one run and five hits in a solid five-plus innings as this Red Raider teammates scored at least one run in every odd inning as they defeated McCallie by a 6-1 final on the road at Kenny Sholl Stadium.

Allen also had four walks and four strikeouts, but was replaced after allowing a leadoff walk to Kelby Barnett to start the McCallie six.  Lefty Levi Fraley then came in, retired the next three hitters in order and pitched around a two-out walk in the seventh to preserve the win.

Baylor improves to 15-4 overall and 5-0 in D-II East Region while McCallie falls to 15-10 overall and 4-1 in region play.

Allen, the son of Amy and John Allen and the grandson of Judy and Chip Liner, would probably never admit that he wanted to be pulled in the sixth,  but he was quick to say that he was tired and that the pitching change was probably a good thing.

"I'm tired right now, but I gave it all I had," he said after improving to 4-1 with Monday's win.

"I battled and had good support from my teammates, but I need to work on all those walks," he said following the game.

Baylor coach Greg Elie was much happier with this game than the loss against Silverdale.

"We did things the right way and had a good approach for the most part, but this game gives us a lot of confidence as have another big one with these guys tomorrow at our place," the veteran coach said in his usual quiet tone.

"I thought Henry Allen did a great job, but we just did what we needed to do to win.  And it's always nice to get that early lead.  But we had a good day today as any region win over a team like McCallie is always good," he smiled.

McCallie coach Tim Costo would have liked a different result, but he didn't have anything but good things to say about Ryne Phillips, his starting pitcher who is just a sophomore.

"He was just unbelievable as he just kept competing, but we let him down defensively," the veteran coach said following the game.

"I like how we competed as we were in the game as we put some balls in play, but we have another tough one at their place tomorrow and we'll just have to keep working to find a way to win," Costo nodded.

Four of Baylor's six runs scored with two outs, including the two in the first and solo runs in the third and fifth innings.

Brooks Berry, Baylor's first baseman who drove in two runs with singles in the third and fifth innings, reached on a two-out McCallie error in the first and was on board when catcher Blake Lundy ripped an 0-1 pitch to deep left for a two-run homer.

Mac Morris singled and later scored in the third when Berry singled up the middle.

McCallie scored its only run in the fourth when John Cardwell reached on an infield hit, went to third on a single by Andrew Rice and a Baylor error before scoring on an infield single by Dallas Gardner.  Allen then retired the next two hitters without incident and really never faced a tough situation again.

Jacob Tate led off the Baylor fifth with a single and was forced at second on a groundout by Zack Morrison, but Emerson Morris reached on McCallie's second error allowing Morrison to score before scoring on Berry's single to make it 5-1.

Then in the seventh, Morrison walked, Mac Morris got hit by a pitch before Emerson Morris walked to load the bases with nobody out.  Rocco Universal, McCallie's fourth pitcher and second in the seventh, got Berry on a fly to center for the first out before Morrison scored when the throw back to the infield was wild for Baylor's final run.

Jack Schuman had three hits to lead Baylor as the Red Raiders finished the game with eight.  Berry added two more.

McCallie was limited to just five hits with no Blue Tornado player having more than one.

These same teams meet again on Tuesday evening at Baylor when the Red Raiders celebrate Senior Night.

BAYLOR  201 020 1 – 6 8 1

McCALLIE  000 100 0 – 1 5 3

Allen, Fraley (6) and Lundy; Phillips, Hartwell (6), Downs (7), Universal (7) and Caldwell.

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)
Henry Allen Leads Baylor Past McCallie - Chattanoogan.com

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