Tartans Take Down Catamounts In Extra Innings Thriller

By Stephen Dintaman/Sinclair Sports Information

Columbus, OH---Playing another home game on the road, the Pride couldn't have asked for a better day to play at Bill Davis Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University. Sinclair started the scoring in the first when Drew Williams doubled to leftfield with one out, scoring Matt Sullivan.

Williams was the story of the game with a career high six hits and reaching base in all seven of his plate appearances.Pride starter Tyler Sexton cruised through the first three innings and took a 4-0 lead into the 4th inning when the Catamount started to threaten.

After cutting the lead in half in the 4th, Potomac State used five straight hits in the 5th to take the lead 5-4. Sexton would give up another run after centerfielder Jon Lowe lost the ball in the sun with two outs.

Freshmen Carlos Pena came in to end the threat and only needed one pitch to get a groundball out.Potomac kept their two run lead for the next couple innings until Jon Lowe knocked in two runs with two outs in the 7th, tying the game at 6.

Just like in the past, these two teams would need extra innings to settle this one.In the 10th inning, the Catamounts leadoff batter Elliot McCummings was hit by the pitch to start things off. After a successful sacrifice bunt, Carlos Pena was lifted for reliever Scott Haag.

With a 1-1 count, Potomac's catcher Ron Musto laced a line drive to center, giving the Cats the lead. Haag retired the next two hitters and the Pride entered the bottom of the inning needing a run.

After Potomac State pitcher Mason Fordyce retired the leadoff hitter Jon Lowe, Sullivan hit a base hit to center to start the rally. Williams then doubled over the head of leftfielder Scott Fox and then things became very interesting.

Trying to score from first, Sullivan was held up at 3rd but was far enough off the bag that he ended up in a rundown. While retreating back to 3rd, Williams broke for third trying to at least move up a base. It appeared that Sullivan was tagged but in fact he avoided it, and then when the Catamounts flipped the ball to third, the ball got away from the infielder. Williams then jumped up and sprinted toward home where he was thrown out at the plate.

After a 5-10 minute conference, Williams was called out for passing Sullivan on the bases and Sullivan was safe at third. So, with two outs Pride second basemen Austin Downing singled up the middle tying the game once again.

Sinclair loaded the bases up in the bottom of the 11th with no outs, but Paul Wilson grounded into a 1-2-3 double play and Lowe grounded out to 1st. The game remained tied heading into the bottom of the 12th and once again Sullivan was there to get things started with a single to right.

Williams then bunted him over to 2nd and was safe at first as the ball rolled past the pitcher. That brought Downing to the plate who already had two successful sacrifice bunts and this one was a beauty. Potomac's State first basemen was playing an extra aggressive bunt coverage and was about 3 feet from the plate when Downing's bunt was sent down the 3rd base line.

Trying to make an unbelievable play, he threw to third where Sullivan beat the throw. In a nine pitch at-bat, Tyler Raymond finally delivered the final blow as he drove the ball into deep left field to win the game in walkoff fashion.

Final Score: SCC 8 PSC 7

WP: Scott Haag 2.2IP 2H 0R BB 3K's

Offensive Leaders: Drew Williams 6-7 RS 2 2B's SB RBI, Matt Sullivan 3-6 3RS BB SB, Austin Downing 1-3 BB 3 SAC's RBI, Nick McGill 2-4 2RS SB 2B RBI, AJ Kruzel 3-5 RS BB 2B RBI