March 18, 2012

Over? Did you say Over?

By Sean Ryan

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

sean@collegebaseballinsider.com @collbaseball

Down 10 runs entering the bottom of the ninth inning Friday, Georgia State coach Greg Frady (left) never could have envisioned what was about to happen.

His Panthers had done little right in their CAA opener against Northeastern. He’d cleared most of his bench. And, the reality of it was, his team was down 12-2.

Georgia State improbably rallied for 11 runs – 10 of them coming after two were out – in a remarkable 13-12 comeback.

“The probability of us to win the game was worse than us winning the lottery,” Frady said Saturday.

Frady said he’d seen a number of comebacks and been involved in some seven- or eight-run comebacks. This one was more remarkable, considering the Panthers struck out to open the inning and were still down 12-3 when they were down to their last out.

One by one, Georgia State hitters kept reaching. A wild pitch scored one, bases-loaded walks scored two, RBI singles scored five (the second of Greg Bowder’s ninth-inning singles scored two runs) to make it 12-10.

“It was just like the energy in the dugout was:  Just get it to the next guy,” Frady said. “I kept hearing that over and over.”

Alex Prescott, who had three at-bats all season, walked early in the inning and came up again down two with runners on first and second. Frady had a decision to make. He could use his last remaining position player, speedster Gabe Shivers, to hit against sidearmer Mike Hanlon, or stick with Prescott. He “rolled the dice” and put his fastest runner in as a pinch-runner at first, thinking he could score on a double.

Prescott’s first career hit was a double that tied the game at 12. Kody Adams then ripped a single to deep right field to score Prescott and cap the miracle comeback.

“It was an amazing game,” Frady said. “I guess I’ll never see another game like this.”

While it wasn’t quite like it, the Panthers rallied from four runs down in the final three innings to beat the Huskies 9-8 on Saturday before falling in the finale 13-4 Sunday.

Close games are the norm for Georgia State (9-12). The Panthers, who own a win over Georgia Tech, have played seven games decided by one run and another seven decided by two or three runs. 

(photos courtesy of Georgia State Media Relations Office)