Tigers Rally In Ninth For Big Win Over Webster
After a ninth-inning loss on Monday, the Wittenberg baseball was in need of a rally. They found it on Tuesday, mounting a two-out, final frame comeback from three runs down against Webster, moving to 3-2 on the season following the last-minute win at the Chain of Lakes baseball complex.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - After a ninth-inning loss on Monday, the Wittenberg baseball was in need of a rally. They found it on Tuesday, mounting a two-out, final frame comeback from three runs down against Webster, moving to 3-2 on the season following the last-minute win at the Chain of Lakes baseball complex.
The game started uneventfully with both teams scoreless through the first two innings in the former spring training home of the Cleveland Indians. Webster got on the board with three runs in the third inning, and, batting in the bottom of the third as the home team, could not match. Webster picked up another to extend their lead to four runs in the top of the fourth, and that is when the action picked up.
In the bottom of the fourth, freshman center fielder Nick Van Dyne (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) singled to drive in sophomore first baseman Matt Hampp (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) and freshman shortstop Grant Goodwin (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson), then came around to score when designated hitter Mike Yednock () singled into right field. Then, with junior Ray Noe (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome) at the bat, Webster errored and allowed Yednock to come home, evening the score at four each.
The two teams promptly ended the scoring for another two innings before Webster struck for two in the top of the seventh. Goodwin picked up an RBI in the bottom of the frame to keep the deficit to one heading to the eighth, and in that inning the two teams flipped, Webster scoring one to the Tigers' two, renewing the game once again at a seven-all tie.
Webster jumped out in the top of the ninth with three runs and the Tigers' faced a steep challenge in the bottom half. Junior Zach Spring (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) led off with a single into center and Hampp followed with a single to move Spring to third. Goodwin singled to score Spring, and junior pinch hitter Tyler James (Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater) loaded the bases by drawing a walk. With the bags full, Yednock launched a sacrifice fly into right field, scoring senior pinch runner Kory Winter (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto).
Having made up two runs but still needing at least one with two outs, the Tigers got consecutive singles from Noe, junior third baseman Stegan Kegler (Columbus, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) and junior catcher Jason Haunty (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington). Noe pushed across the tying run by scoring Goodwin, and Haunty became the hero with the two-out, game-winning RBI hit to bring in junior pinch runner Sam Clement (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young).
Yednock led the Tigers at the plate with three RBIs and two runs scored on an impressive 4-for-4 day. Goodwin and Van Dyne each went 3-for-5, Goodwin with two RBIs and Van Dyne with one. Noe drove in two runs on 2-for-4 hitting, and Spring and Hampp each earned two hits in four at bats.
From the mound, freshman Kevin Tolle (Englewood, Ohio/Northmont) earned the win after pitching the ninth inning in his first collegiate appearance. SophomoreMatt Rupert (Evanston, Ill./Evanston) got the start and went five innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits, three walks and one strikeout. FreshmanEthan Sharpin (Springfield, Ohio/Kenton Ridge) threw 1 2/3 innings in relief, allowing two runs on four hits with a strikeout, and sophomore Ted Skalla (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier) went 1 1/3 innings before Tolle took over, allowing one unearned run on two hits.
The Tigers get a well deserved day of rest on Wednesday, March 10, before starting back up on Thursday, March 11, with a 9:30 a.m. nine-inning game with Baldwin-Wallace at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.
Written by: John Strawn '07