Millington, TN – The Indian Hills Baseball team dropped its 2023 season opener on Friday with a 4-1 loss to Southwest Tennessee Community College at the Flag City Classic.

Sophomore Jack Nelson (Zionsville, IN/Zionsville) was tagged with the loss despite a solid debut for the Warriors. The southpaw scattered five hits in 5.1 innings of work and allowed just two earned runs with four strikeouts.

Offensively, the Warriors collected five hits in the opener, including a pair from sophomore Merrick Mathews (Centerville, IA/Centerville). Sophomore Sergio Chavez (Laredo, TX/john B. Alexander) scored the team's lone run and went 1-4 with a double in the loss.

Freshman Ciro Benavides (Laredo, TX/Alexander) added a hit and a stolen base and Logan Myers reached base twice while going 1-2 with a base knock.

Freshman Jordan Scholl (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton Warrenville South) and Andrei Gordeev (Balashika, Russia/Global Vision Christian) provided relief work on the mound for the Warriors. Gordeev tossed a scoreless eighth inning in his collegiate debut.

"I was really excited how we competed on the mound in a tough day to pitch," stated head coach Matthew Torrez. "Coming into today, I was a little worried about our offense, due to the lack of reps outside and it got the best of us today, but we will move forward and string better at bats together tomorrow."

"The young guys did a really good joband today was important for them to see what college baseball is like," Torrez added in reference to the freshman class. "I feel like they will learn from today and just keep getting better."

Southwest Tennessee (10-2) struck first in the opening frame with an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. The Warriors responded with two runners on base in the second inning but failed to bring a run across. Indian Hills eventually knotted the score at one after Chavez doubled and later scored on an infield error.

After allowing the first inning run, Nelson settled down to limit the Saluqis offensively. The sophomore hurler allowed just one baserunner over the course of the next four innings, but the home team broke free in the sixth to score a run and go up 2-1. Nelson gave way to Scholl in relief, but Southwest Tennessee tacked on two more in the seventh while the Warrior bats went silent over the final three frames.

Indian Hills is back in action Saturday morning for the second day of the Flag City Classic at the USA Baseball Complex. The Warriors will take on Lake Michigan Community College at 10:00 AM and Jefferson College (MO) at 2:30 PM.

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