Cole Tesh and Kyle Morris scored two goals apiece for Shorter University, but Berry College outscored the Hawks 6-1 in the second half en route to a 15-7 victory in a men’s lacrosse exhibition held at Barron Stadium on Saturday night.

The Hawks (2-1) were playing in front of their home fans for the first time after winning two out of three on a season-opening road trip through Virginia and North Carolina. Like Shorter, Berry took the turf for the first time in Rome as both schools are in their first year of varsity competition.

In a battle between two longtime rivals in a sport that is relatively new to the South, it was the Vikings that had the upper hand.

Berry outshot Shorter 43-31 and held a 47-46 advantage in ground balls. The Hawks never led in the game, although the first half provided the fans with plenty of scoring and physical play.

After Berry jumped out to a 2-0 lead, Tesh put the Hawks on the board with 11:59 left in the first period.

Tesh scored again with 49 seconds left in the opening stanza to pull the Hawks to within 4-2.

Kyle Van Kauwenberg scored to cut the Hawks’ deficit to 4-3 just 38 seconds into the second period and Marc Morgan got in the act with a goal two minutes later to make the score 5-4 in favor of the Vikings.

But Nat Morey scored the first of three consecutive man-up goals for Berry, who took an 8-5 lead when Corey McRae beat Shorter goalie Jeff Gerlitz with 3:34 left until halftime. Berry led 9-6 at the break.

Marshall Henderson and Wes Goldsberry each recorded hat tricks for the Vikings, who also got a game-high five assists from Cal Supik. Berry took advantage of Shorter’s sloppy play by converting on 6 of 9 man-up opportunities as Shorter committed nine penalties to Berry’s zero.

Shorter visits Limestone College on Tuesday.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE: Lady Vikes down Shorter, 17-7

Berry’s Anya Dziurzynski scored five goals and added an assist as the Lady Vikings topped Shorter University 17-7 in a women’s lacrosse exhibition held at Barron Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

It was the first action in program history for both Berry and Shorter, who unveiled their inaugural teams in front of a spirited crowd of supporters eager to get their first look at collegiate lacrosse in Rome.

The Lady Vikings led 7-3 at half and outscored the Lady Hawks 10-4 in the second as each team prepared for its regular season openers next week.

Shorter, which will take on Davenport on Monday, at 6 p.m. at Ben Brady Field to open the 2011 campaign, got three goals from Katie Ott and two goals each from Whitney Dixe and Rachel Skinner.

Berry held a 44-20 advantage in shots and used a key 4-0 run in the first half.

BASEBALL: Berry sweeps Virginia-Wise

Berry received strong starting pitching performances from Scott Pollock and Cameron Rich en route to a doubleheader sweep of Virginia-wise Saturday at William R. Bowdoin Field. The Vikings won by scores of 5-2 and 5-1.

Pollock allowed just one run on two hits in six innings of work in the opener. He also struck out four batters.

Pollock's pitching performance helped the Vikings offset a rough offensive outing in which they mustered just three hits.

But Berry would manufacture four runs in the fourth inning of the opener, thanks in part to a pair of Cavaliers errors. Cason Dremann and Madison Moss drew back-to-back walks to lead off the inning, and advanced 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt by Isaac Hardee. After Preston Neely reached on an error to load the bases, Travis Blackburn delivered a two-run single that plated Dremann and Moss. After a double steal by Neely and Blackburn, Drew McDuffie's fielder's choice ground ball was misplayed allowing Blackburn to score just after Neely crossed on the batted ball.

Both teams would score a run in the sixth. The Cavaliers picked up their run on Kirk Jennings' sacrifice fly. Berry answered in the bottom of the inning with its own sacrifice fly off Preston Neely's bat.

UVA-Wise would score one run in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough.

Pollock (1-0) struck out four batters and walked three. Trent Hillis pitched the seventh inning, allowing one unearned run.

Cavaliers starter Scott Cole (0-2) took the loss. He allowed four runs (two earned) on two hits and three walks while striking out four batters.

In the second game, the Cavs would jump out to a 1-0 lead on Tommy Meier's RBI single. But Berry would answer with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, scoring twice in the third despite not getting a hit as Virginia-Wise committed five errors in the frame.

Two more Berry runs would score in the fourth on Brandyn Jackson's RBI ground ball and a sacrifice fly from Austin Neely. Another run would cross in the bottom of the fifth on Hardee's RBI fielder's choice ground ball, giving the Vikings a 5-1 advantage.

McDuffie's two hits and Jackson's two RBIs led the Vikings.

Berry starter Cameron Rich (2-1) earned the win. In five innings, Rich allowed one run on three hits and a walk while striking out two batters.

Josh Dilbeck pitched the final two innings, striking out four batters in the process.

UVA-Wise starter Ryan Crosby (0-1) took the loss after allowing four runs in 3 1/3 innings. Just one of the runs charged to Crosby was earned.

The Vikings return to action Feb. 22, when they host Covenant at 4 p.m.

BASEBALL: Shorter sweeps Pikeville

Shorter University took a pair of contests from visiting Pikeville College to complete a three-game sweep of the Bears in non-league baseball action on Saturday afternoon at Shorter's Robert H. Ledbetter Baseball Complex.

The Hawks took Game 1, 11-3, before closing out Pikeville 12-2 in the nightcap.

Shorter is now 13-1 on the season, the best start for the program in recent history. The Hawks also extended their winning streak to seven games.

In Game 1, Shorter's Stephen Adkins tossed five innings in which he surrendered just two earned runs on five hits as the Hawks cruised.

Adkins also fanned six in earning the win and got support out of the bullpen from Chad Hodges and Zeke Owen, who combined to allow one run in two innings of relief.

Kurtis Robinson and Lou Amargo stroked RBI doubles, Shannon Houston hit an RBI triple and Willie Lewis notched three RBI on a pair of singles as Shorter built a 7-1 lead after three innings.

Robinson and Matt Johnson then recorded RBI singles as part of a four-run Shorter fifth as the Hawks put the finishing touches on an impressive opening victory.

Amargo went 4-for-5 in Game 1 while Lewis finished 3-for-4. Robinson, Houston and Clint Harkins had two hits apiece for the Hawks, who touched up Pikeville pitching for 17 hits in Saturday's opener.

In the nightcap, the Hawks exploded for nine runs total in the fourth and fifth innings to put the game away.

Shorter took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a Will Davis RBI single and Dadynoel Lorenzo's two-run double to right center.

Pikeville stormed back in the top of the third with a pair of runs courtesy of RBI singles from Adam Overbay and Ryan Jones, but Lewis tripled home Davis and then scored on a passed ball to put the Hawks up 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth and Shorter plated seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to activate the run rule.

Davis, who finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI in Game 2, hit a two-run double as part of that seven-run frame and Johnson brought home the final three runs with a bases-clearing, three-run double several batters later.

Lorenzo went 3-for-3 with three RBI as well for the Hawks, who posted 11 hits in the finale. Blake Chapman earned the win on the mound in just one inning of work in which he held Pikeville without a hit and Adam Thurman started on the hill for the Hawks where he yielded two earned runs on two hits in four innings.

Shorter returns to action on Feb. 22 when it welcomes Trevecca Nazarene University to Robert H. Ledbetter for a 1 p.m. first pitch.

SOFTBALL: Covenant sweeps Berry

Covenant scored twice in the seventh inning to complete a comeback and defeat Berry 5-3 in the first game of a doubleheader at South Ford Field Saturday. The Scots earned a sweep with a 6-5 win in the second game.

Berry led the first game 3-2 after scoring three times in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jessica washington drove in the Vikings' first run with an RBI triple that scored Sydney Bush. Chelsea Usher and Kristen Stoll followed with back-to-back run-scoring singles that gave Berry the lead.

Covenant would tie the score in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Lindsay Potter that pushed home Courtney Wagoner.

Wagoner would prove to be the hero in the seventh, delivering a two-run single that would end up as the game-winning hit.

Stoll led Berry with three hits in the contest, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Wagoner was 3-for-4 for the Scots.

Chelsea Kraft (1-0) earned the victory for Covenant. Andrea Cole (1-2) took the loss.

In the second game, Berry racked up 10 hits, including two each from Washington, Lacey Herring and Denice Aleman, while Krista Woody led the Vikings with a pair of RBIs.

Covenant scored three of its runs in the first inning. Berry cut the Scots' advantage to 3-1 when stoll's ground ball scored Washington.

After Covenant scored once in each of the second and third innings, Berry would make the score 5-4 with a three-run bottom half of the third inning.

Holly Todd started the Vikings' scoring in the third with an RBI double that plated Herring, and Woody followed with a two-run single that scored Todd and Aleman.

Another Covenant run scored in the fifth when Jennie Jobe doubled home Kim Curicchia. Berry completed the day's scoring in the sixth when Stoll's ground ball scored Sarah Vigue.

Sonja Townsend (1-0) earned the victory for Covenant. Berry's Caillee Shamoun (1-2) took the loss.

Berry is scheduled to return to action Feb. 24, when it hosts Wesleyan at 1 p.m.

BASKETBALL: Shorter 74, Brewton-Parker 68

Marqise Wright posted a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead Shorter University to a 74-68 victory over Brewton-Parker in a pivotal Southern States Athletic Conference East Division matchup at the Winthrop-King Centre on Saturday afternoon.

The win keeps the Hawks (22-6, 6-4 SSAC East) in the hunt for the East Division's No. 2 seed heading into the SSAC Tournament March 2-5 at The Forum in Rome.

Brewton-Parker (8-13, 3-7 SSAC East) now falls into a tie for the fifth and final seed out of the East Division with Southern Wesleyan, who beat the Barons handily in Mount Vernon on Wednesday.

Wright notched his team-leading ninth double-double of the season as the Hawks erased a 12-point first half deficit and outscored the Barons 38-28 in the second half to complete the season sweep of their guests.

Wright shot 5-for-11 from the floor and hit a big 3-pointer as part of an 8-0 Shorter run in the final 1:37 of the first half that turned a 40-28 Brewton-Parker advantage into a 40-36 Shorter deficit heading into halftime.

Wright and Walter Hill knocked down 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to tie the game at 45 and Shorter took its first lead of the second half at 47-45 on a Wright two-point field goal with 13:50 left in the game.

The Hawks then used another 8-0 run fueled by six points from Wright to take a 61-52 lead and although a field goal from Brewton-Parker's Gerald Kohn brought the Barons to within 63-59 with 4:48 left, Shorter would let its opponent no closer in wrapping up a second straight victory and improving to 14-1 at home this season.

Hill had 14 points and seven rebounds for Shorter, which shot 48 percent and made 22 of 30 from the foul line. The Hawks survived 19 turnovers by forcing 38 percent shooting from the Barons, who got a brilliant 26-point effort from point guard Delano Howard and 12 points from leading scorer Andrew Dikas.

Eric Nix joined Wright and Hill in double figures with 10 points while dishing out seven assists. Shorter is 13-2 when Nix has at least six assists.

The Hawks return to action on Thursday, Feb. 24 when they travel to East Division leader and 11th-ranked Lee University for an 8 p.m. tip. Shorter upset Lee 77-76 at home on Jan. 29.

TENNIS: Berry shuts out Emmanuel

Berry won all six singles matches in straight sets and nearly won the doubles matches without allowing Emmanuel to win a game in a 9-0 victory over the Lions Saturday at Richards Tennis Courts.

Berry led 3-0 after doubles play, as its No. 2 doubles team of Laura cunningham and Caitlin Smith and the No. 3 tandem of Liz Stepp and Keri McGinnis both won 8-0. The Vikings top doubles team of Marina Lebrao and Kendal Ruffner won 8-1.

The Lady Vikings (2-0) were nearly as dominant in singles play, as the top three players in the lineup - Lebrao, Ruffner and Cunningham - all won by identical 6-0, 6-0 scores. '

Smith won her match at No. 4 singles 6-1, 6-1, while Stepp won 6-1, 6-2 in the fifth position and McGinnis won her No. 6 singles match 6-3, 6-0.

Berry's men won four of six singles matches and two of three doubles matches en route to a 6-3 men's tennis victory over Emmanuel at Richards Tennis Courts Saturday.

The Vikings received an 8-2 victory from their No. 1 doubles team of Daniel Mician and Jonathan Surls, and an 8-0 win by their No. 3 duo of Jorg Bergmann and Ben Ortman.

In singles action, Surls, Steven Weeks, Bergmann and Ortman all came out on the winning end for Berry. Surls defeated Pavel Zinchenko 6-4, 6-2 in the No. 2 match, while Weeks, Bergmann and Ortman swept the lower half of the lineup's matches.

Weeks defeated Joao Lisboa 6-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-6) in the fourth position, while Bergmann cruised by Michael Terry 6-0, 6-0 in the fifth slot and Ortman handed Chris Dove a 6-1, 6-0 loss in the No. 6 position.

The Lady Vikes return to action Sunday, when they host Young Harris at 2 p.m.

TENNIS: Shoter takes down Emmanuel

The Shorter University men and women's tennis teams swept Southern States Athletic Conference East Division foe Emmanuel College in matches held at the Walt Attaway Tennis Complex on Saturday morning.

The Hawks, ranked No. 12 in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll, moved to 3-1 on the season with an 8-1 win over the Lions. Shorter's Lady Hawks (3-0), ranked 11th, remained unblemished with a 9-0 shutout of the Lady Lions.

On the men's side, Shorter's only loss came at No. 2 singles, where Bastien Russo put up a fight before dropping a marathon 1-6, 6-1, 11-9 match.

Shorter won in straight sets in all but No. 2 and No. 1 singles, where Badr Cherradi rallied after dropping the first set to score a 4-6, 7-6, 7-5 victory.

In women's action, the Lady Hawks cruised through doubles competition and enjoyed similar ease in singles en route to a third straight win to open the season.

Candice Laurent, Emma deBeaucoudrey and Nienke Van Stavern each lost just one game in straight set victories. Danielle Monteith won at love at No. 3 singles and Katie Witmer defeated her opponent 6-0, 6-4 at No. 6 singles in the most competitive match of the day.

Both teams return to the courts on Feb. 23 when they travel to Alabama for dates with Birmingham-Southern at 3 p.m.