May 27, 2010
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list of scores
CBI Live: SoCon Game
5: #7 ASU 6, #3 GSU 2
CBI Live: SoCon Game
6: #5 Samford 13, #8 Furman 10
CBI Live: SoCon Game
7: #1 The Citadel 6, #4 Elon 3 (10)
CBI Live
Perseverant Catamounts Prevail in 12 over Cougars
By Phil Stanton
CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder
CHARLESTON, S.C. – They battled through a week’s
worth of adversity in one game.
Sixth-seeded Western Carolina battled back from a
6-0 deficit to outlast second-seeded College of Charleston 7-6
in 12 innings Thursday in the final game of Day 2 in the
Southern Conference Tournament at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
The Catamounts (36-19-1) will need one win on
Saturday to advance to Sunday’s championship game. The Cougars
(42-16) will face seventh-seeded Appalachian State on Friday at
3 p.m. The winner will have to beat WCU twice on Saturday to
reach Sunday’s title contest.
Ross Heffley led off the bottom of the 12th with
a base hit for the Catamounts and moved to third on a double
into the leftfield corner by Tyler Kirkpatrick. Trevor Collias
was intentionally walked to load the bases. After a flyout not
deep enough to score Heffley, Cameron Dullnig hit a sharp
grounder to first. The throw home was wild, allowing Heffley to
end the 4:25 marathon at 2 p.m. ET.
“We talk about adversity all the time,” said WCU
head coach Bobby Moranda, who earned his 100th career victory.
“Adversity is preparation for greatness. This game was the
definition of adversity. For us to persevere, down six, and the
bad breaks that we didn’t execute in extra innings with men in
scoring position. For us to overcome that shows me a lot about
our character.”
The Cougars put up a three-spot in both the
fourth and fifth. Jamie Holler had a RBI base hit and Cole Rakar
added a two-run single with two outs in the fourth. Charleston
got its three in the fifth without benefit of a hit to push the
lead to 6-0.
The Catamounts got a two-run homer by Matt Johns,
his 11th, in the sixth. Collias doubled and scored on a
sacrifice fly by Dullnig in the seventh to make it 6-3.
Johns had a two-out triple in the eighth and
scored on a base hit by Heffley as the Catamounts narrowed the
margin to two at 6-4.
WCU eventually tied it in
the ninth. Collias and Ollie Goulder were hit by pitches to
start the frame. Dullnig had a base hit to right to load the
bases before Tyler White’s two-run single tied the game at 6. A
strikeout and a double play forced extra innings.
WCU missed a golden
opportunity to score in the bottom of the 10th. Johns was hit by
a pitch to lead off the inning, stole second and moved to third
when the catcher’s throw went into centerfield. Ross Heffley and
Tyler Kirkpatrick were intentionally walked. The Cougars
defensively employed five infielders and two outfielders.
Collias hit a fly ball to left, which centerfielder Rakar
caught. His throw home was perfect, nailing Johns at the plate
for a double play. Ollie Goulder flew out to right to end the
threat.
The Catamounts had runners on again in the 11th,
but could not plate the game-winner.
“Baseball’s just an amazing game because there’s
no clock,” Moranda said. “With no clock, if you’ve got heart and
you keep fighting, you have a chance. And that’s why this is the
greatest game God ever created.”
Johns finished with two hits, two runs and two
RBI. Heffley had three hits, one run and one RBI.
Rob Kral had three hits for the Cougars, while
Rakar added two hits and two RBI.
Brandon Johnson (8-1) got the win, allowing three
hits and one walk in four scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Jason Sullivan worked 3.1 shutout innings of relief with three
hits, three walks and six strikeouts.
“Sullivan stepped up,” Moranda said. “Getting him
back after eight weeks out is a huge boost to our team. And
Brandon Johnson was absolutely amazing for us in extra innings.”
How big is the day off for the Catamounts?
“That’s huge,” Moranda said. “I want to take the
guys over and show them the ocean tomorrow. The mountain boys
are going to see the ocean for a day.”
(photos courtesy of Southern
Conference Media Relations Office) |
