Quentin M. Reed –Sports Information Graduate Assistant

MISENHEIMER, N.C. – The Pfeiffer Falcons (11-20, 4-9 CC) fell to the North Greenville Crusaders (22-9, 12-1 CC) on Friday night by the score of 3-1. Duncan Everett pitched a solid 7 1/3 innings and allowed eight hits hits, while striking out eight.

In the bottom of the first after a Derek Perry groundout, shortstop Cody McKenzie hit a solo homerun to left field that gave Pfeiffer a quick 1-0 lead.

In the Falcons second inning, with one out, Jordan Eckard singled up the middle and two batters later Xavier Rodriguez singled Eckard over to third base. Next batter, Damon Smith failed to cash in with a runner in scoring position as he flew out to the center to end the threat.

In the bottom of the third,  Falcons had Perry on third base and Tanner Mathis on first with two outs and Anthony Allende at bat, but the senior first baseman flew out to right center to end another Pfeiffer rally.

After four scoreless innings, Everett got into trouble in the fifth as he allowed three runners to get aboard with two singles and hit batsman. Next batter, Jae Roberts singled to left field bringing in two Crusader runs and taking the lead 2-1.

In the top of the sixth, North Greenville leadoff hitter Nathaniel Maggio doubled down the right field line. Next batter Foley George singled and moved Maggio over to third.  After Everett struck out Andrew Frazier, Andrew Meadows flew out to Rodriguez in centerfield and a brought home the lead runner, Maggio.

The Crusader bullpen allowed no runs and just one hit in the final three innings and struck out four Falcons.

Pfeiffer's Eckard went 2-for-4 on the day. Zach Scudder, Perry, Rodriguez and McKenzie all added one hit for the Falcons. The Falcons as a squad left seven on base as they struck out nine times.

Pfeiffer and North Greenville return to action on Saturday in a double header that begins at 2:00 p.m.