By PATRICK MEEHAN, Centenary Sports Information Director
Centenary won a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship Tuesday and has a chance to capture another at home this weekend.
Senior Andrew Bennett claimed the individual title at the SCAC Golf Championships Tuesday by firing a 2-under par 70. He became the first Centenary men’s golfer in the Division III era to win an individual conference title, finishing at 4-under par 212 over 54 holes on the New Course at White Bluff Golf Resort in Whitney, Texas.
The Diamond Gents baseball team is 2.5 games back of first as it enters its three-game series at home with league-leading Trinity. If Centenary can sweep the preseason SCAC favorites on the final weekend of the regular season, the reward will be the conference crown.
MEN’S GOLF: Bennett claimed his second career victory, going with the individual title at the UMHB Men’s Invitational last fall. He was the Gents’ top finisher last season in the SCAC Championships as he finished in a three-way tie for sixth place at 6-over par 222 to earn second-team All-SCAC honors.
Bennett entered Tuesday’s final round in third place and one shot behind 36-hole leader Jacob Mason of Trinity. He fired identical 1-under par 71 rounds on Sunday and Monday at the par-72, 6,918-yard course.
Bennett, who tied for 19th at the conference championships in 2022, now has two individual wins, three top-five finishes, and a top-15 finish this season. Centenary’s previous best individual finish in the SCAC championship was third in 2022 by Richard Polan.
Freshman Aubrey Snell finished third at 8-over par 224 and helped the Gents to a fourth-place team finish (+76 – 940). Snell and Bennett were named to the All-SCAC first team following Tuesday’s play.
BASEBALL: The Diamond Gents (18-15) fell 17-10 at Texas-Dallas on Tuesday afternoon in their final non-conference game of the regular season.
Centenary’s high-stakes SCAC series at Shehee Park begins with a single game on Friday at 6 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 and 4 p.m. The Diamond Gents will honor their senior class following Saturday’s action.
Centenary, 18-15 overall, is 12-5 in conference play. Trinity’s Tigers are 14-4 in league play and 27-9 overall. The teams met on March 9 in San Antonio with Trinity recording a 13-4 win in what was considered a non-conference contest despite the two being league foes.
The 2024 SCAC Baseball Tournament is next weekend in Cleburne, Texas.
SOFTBALL: The Ladies fell to St. Thomas 8-6 last Sunday afternoon in the third and final game of a conference series as the Celts completed the weekend sweep at the West University Softball Association Complex in Houston.
The Ladies (13-22, 8-10 SCAC) dropped a doubleheader a day earlier by scores of 6-1, 12-10 and have lost seven games in a row.
Senior rightfielder Mackenzie Cox did her part last weekend. She hit .545 (6-11) with a .615 OBP and slugged .636 with six runs scored, eight stolen bases, two walks, and a double. Cox has 18 multi-hit games including five games with three hits and has stolen two or more bases in a game 15 times this season. She is second nationally in stolen bases with 46 in 49 attempts.
Despite the current losing streak, the Ladies have qualified for the SCAC Tournament to be hosted next weekend by Texas Lutheran.
Centenary will finish the regular season at home against Trinity (26-11, 14-4 SCAC), with a doubleheader on Saturday at noon and 2 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at noon. The Ladies’ senior class will be honored after the Sunday finale.
WOMEN’S GOLF: The Ladies finished seventh in the conference tournament Tuesday. The Ladies shot a 391-over par 1,255 at the New Course at White Bluff Golf Resort.
Freshman Hailey Adams earned a 30th-place finish to lead the Ladies as she shot an 88-over par 304 (97-98-109).
Contact Patrick at pmeehan@centenary.edu