Eagles Cap Incredible Comeback, Win 15-14 in 14 Innings
4/3/2009 4:16:00 AM | Baseball
STATESBORO, Ga. ? Ty Wright (Montrose/ABAC) hit a 2-run single on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 14th inning, capping Georgia Southern's incredible 15-14 come-from-behind win over College of Charleston on Friday night (April 3) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles improved to 19-7 overall and 5-3 in the SoCon.
Will Southwell (Moultrie/Colquitt County) walked to start the 14th off closer Owen Brittle, who came into the game in the eighth inning. Jonathan King (Athens, TN/Young Harris) reached on a bunt single and Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) grounded out but advanced both runners. Roman Grimaldi (Duluth/North Florida CC) walked to load the bases.
Wright, who homered on the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth and tied the game at 13-all, punched a 3-2 fastball through the left side for his first collegiate walk-off hit.
“It was a long, five hour game. I'd been getting fastballs all game but popping them a mile high. I told myself if I got one not to miss it and I didn't (ninth inning home run),” said Wright. “We never get down as a team, even down 10-1 early on but we battled back. We got a great game from everyone.”
Ryan Daniels hit the first pitch from Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine) in the 14th inning to right field for his third homer of the year. Matt Mansilla hit a one-out triple and Kammpi (2-1) was able to strand him there and get out of the jam.
The Cougars (20-6, 10-3) jumped out to a 9-0 lead and led 10-1 going into the fifth inning. Kevin Bowles (Statesboro/Statesboro) hit a RBI double then Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) followed with a RBI single, and another run scored on a passed ball to plate three runs in their half.
Charleston struck three more times in the seventh for a 13-4 lead. The Eagles started the comeback with seven runs in the seventh. Southwell hit a RBI double, Pierce lined a RBI single then Grimaldi launched his first career grand slam, also his fourth hit of the game after entering the contest 2-for-11 in his career.
Kamppi gave up one run on four hits in 4.1 innings, striking out five. Charles Matthews (Athens/Spartanburg Methodist) and Dexter Bobo (Cumming/Darton College) pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief.
Grimaldi finished a career-best 4-for-7 with two runs and four RBI. Wright had three hits and three RBI while Bowles matched a career-high of three hits. In fact, eight Eagles had a multi-hit game.
Both teams combined for 45 hits (24 CofC/21 GS), and it was the Eagles' longest game since an 18-inning game on April 21, 1996 at Clemson (program record longest).
Brittle (0-2) had walked only one batter in 14.2 innings coming in. He walked six and gave up three runs on five hits in six innings.
Joey Bergman and Joash Brodin had four hits apiece for the Cougars.
Game two of the series is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday night (April 4).
