Eagles Stage Another Ninth Inning Comeback

STATESBORO, Ga. – A two-out error by Winthrop in the bottom of the ninth inning capped Georgia Southern’s 5-4 win Tuesday night (March 3) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles, who received votes in this week’s National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ‘Top 25’ poll, improved to 8-1 overall.

Down 4-3 heading into the ninth, A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bryant) got things started with a one-out single. Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) lined a double into the gap putting him and pinch-runner Roman Grimaldi (Duluth/North Florida CC) in scoring position.

Ty Wright (Montrose/ABAC) grounded out to short bringing home the tying run. Will Southwell (Moultrie/Colquitt County) hit a hard chopper to third baseman Bryn Henderson. His throw went up the line towards home, bringing Eddie Tisdale off the bag as Southwell beat the throw and Benedict scored the game-winner.

In the first Winthrop (6-2) scored the first run on a two-out error which brought home Henderson from second base. Georgia Southern evened the score in the second.

Benedict singled to start the frame. He advanced to second on Wright’s walk. Two fielder’s choices later Benedict scored making it 1-all.

Winthrop took a 2-1 lead on Chas Crane’s two-out single in the fourth. Again the host Eagles answered the next frame.

Kevin Bowles (Statesboro/Statesboro) drew a leadoff walk in the fifth. He went to second on Matt Miller’s (Canton/Woodstock) sacrifice bunt. Wirnsberger lined a single off pitcher Wade Newman. Henderson picked up the deflection but his throw to first sailed into the dugout, allowing Bowles to score.

A passed ball in the sixth gave Winthrop another short-lived lead. In the bottom half Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) lined a two-out RBI single to score Southwell.

The game went back-and-forth again when in the seventh Tisdale dropped a two-out, perfect bunt to the right side of the infield. He beat the throw from Bowles just in time and pinch-runner Bryan Bogue gave Winthrop a 4-3 lead.

Bowles finished 2-for-2 with a run scored. The junior second baseman and his teammates knew they were still in the game, able to come back just like the Presbyterian game during the season-opening weekend (7-6 comeback win in the ninth).

“They brought in their closer, so we knew if we could get it going something good would happen. Griffin had a great shot in the gap and give Roman credit for a good job running the bases,” said Bowles. “Ty and Will did a great job battling at the plate and making contact. We pulled out a really good win tonight.”

Wirnsberger, Benedict and Pierce joined Bowles with two hits apiece.

Jake Brown (Forest Hill, MD/Pitt CC) worked three innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out three and walked three, earning his first win as an Eagle. Freshman Matt Murray (Spring City, PA/Owen Roberts) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out four.

Tyler Mizenko (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing the two runs (one earned) on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. Newman gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits in 5.2 innings.

Henderson and Kevin Nolan had two hits apiece for Winthrop.

The Eagles will play in the Holiday Inn Eagle Invitational this weekend, playing host to Indiana (7 p.m., March 6), LeMoyne (2 p.m., March 7) and #20 East Carolina (3 p.m., March 8).

Category: Baseball

Published on Tuesday, 03 March 2009 00:24