DANVILLE, Ky. – Centre baseball staged a thrilling 6-5 comeback victory against rival Transylvania Tuesday evening at Gary Wright Field, plating four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Will Kirk capped the triumph when he drove in pinch-running
Jordan Gunter with two outs and the game tied at 5-5, turning the tide after the Pioneers seemingly held all momentum midway through the final frame.
Centre improves to 9-4 overall with the victory, while Transylvania slips to 4-5.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Rookie
Carson Werrmann retired the first two batters of the game, but the Pioneers would score the game's opening run later in the inning to grab an early 1-0 lead.
Down 1-0 heading to the third, the Colonels leveled the score on
Drew Schacht's RBI single to right field that brought in
Cameron Duggins.
Mason Falbo led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, and eventually hustled home on a wild pitch, evading a tag to give Centre a 2-1 lead.
Three consecutive singles saw the Pioneers tie the game at 2-2 in the fifth, and they would take the lead again in the seventh on Wade LoPiccolo's RBI single.
Transy plated two unearned runs in the ninth, capitalizing on a pair of Colonel miscues to pad its advantage and put Centre on the ropes.
The veteran-laden Colonels responded in their final at-bat, sparked by Duggins' leadoff double down the left field line. Schacht again found a way to get Duggins in, singling to center field.
Two walks loaded the bases for
Cole Hilt, who previously entered the game as a pinch-runner. He coolly drove a ball deep enough to center to bring in Schacht on the tag, making it 5-4.
Seth Hagan then singled to left, tying the game with a clutch two-out RBI as
Chris Esselman crossed home plate.
With the game all square at 5-5 and the game-winning run on third, Kirk sent an 0-2 pitch to the outfield to score Gunter and complete the comeback.
Duggins went 3-for-3 and reached base in all four of his plate appearances, scoring twice. His classmate, Schacht, went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.
Werrmann threw five innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits.
Will Orren went 2.1 innings in relief, surrendering one run and two hits.
Jake Holloway came in for the final 1.2 innings, giving up just one hit while striking out three. Transy managed two earned runs on the sophomore righty.
UP NEXT
Centre hosts Eureka this Friday at 5 p.m. at Gary Wright Field.
