Walk-Off Home Run Lifts Eagles Over RedHawks, 9-8

Saturday, March 5

Statesboro

2:00 PM

Georgia Southern University

5-5

Miami University (OH)

3-6

Miami (OH)

Georgia Southern

3/5/2022 7:07:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Graham Cooper

STATESBORO - The Georgia Southern baseball team won its first series of the season with a walk-off win over the Miami (OH) RedHawks on Saturday afternoon, 9-8.

The bats were immediately active on both sides, and the RedHawks got on the board in the top of the first, when a sacrifice fly brought in the runner. In the bottom of the first, the Eagles responded in a big way, first with a Jason Swan RBI single, which scored Sam Blancato. Two pitches later, Christian Avant hit a two-RBI home run to left field, driving in Swan, giving the Eagles a 3-1 lead. Austin Thompson doubled to left-center field shortly after, scoring Noah Ledford, to make it 4-1 after one stanza.

The RedHawks would score two runs, one in the top of the second, and two in the top of the third, to tie the game at 4-4. The bottom of the fourth saw the Eagles bats launch two home runs, first with Noah Searcy hitting a two-RBI home run to left-center followed by one from Thompson shortly thereafter to give the Eagles a 7-4 lead.

The RedHawks would score one more in the top of the fifth, but in the bottom of the fifth, Blake Evans singled through the right side, scoring Thompson on the RBI single. Miami scored one more in the top of the sixth from an RBI double up the left-field line, cutting the lead to 8-6.

In the top of the ninth, Miami would hit a two-run home run to tie the game at 8-8. The bottom of the ninth saw nothing doing for the Eagles, and the game moved to extra innings. Relief pitcher Thomas Ross only faced three players in the Miami lineup, retiring them with two ground outs and a fly-out before the Eagles took the plate. Swan promptly ended the game with a walk-off solo home run to give the Eagles the 9-8 victory.

QUICK HITS

The Eagles hit four home runs in the win, all four from different players. The last time the Eagles had a four-home run game was April 1, 2021, against Georgia State.
The Eagles pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts on the day. Starter Ben Johnson had two, Jake Martin had three, and Hayden Harris had six.
Christian Avant hit the first home run for the Eagles at J.I. Clements Stadium this season.
This is the first series of the season the Eagles have won.

UP NEXT
The Eagles will go for the series sweep over Miami in the final game of the weekend series on Sunday, March 6. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.