Thursday, May 15, 2008

WEBB WALK-OFF SINGLE PROPELS TUSCULUM PAST C-N IN NCAA OPENER, 8-7

TAMPA --- Matt Webb’s walk-off single in the ninth inning sparked No. 2 seed Tusculum to an 8-7 win over fifth-seeded Carson-Newman in the opening round of the 2008 NCAA Division II South Regional Baseball Tournament Thursday afternoon. The six-team, double-elimination tournament is being held on the campus of the University of Tampa.

The Pioneers (41-13) will play No. 3 seed Catawba on Friday night at 7 p.m., while Carson-Newman (41-17) will play No. 6 seed Stillman in an 11 a.m. elimination game Friday morning. Catawba defeated No. 4 seed Florida Tech 5-4, while Stillman lost to host Tampa 21-1.

Webb’s single capped a crazy up and down game between the South Atlantic Conference rivals, who were playing for the fifth time this season. C-N led by two runs on two separate occasions early, but Tusculum rallied with a pair of runs in the fourth inning, thanks to a two-run blast by Webb to tie the game at 3-3.

After Carson-Newman regained the lead with a run in the top of the fifth, Tusculum plated four runs in the bottom of the frame, including a two-run double by South Region Player of the Year Maikol Gonzalez as TC led for the first time on the day, 5-4. Tusculum added two more tallies in the inning on back-to-back sacrifice flies by Webb and Sean Cotten for a 7-4 Pioneer advantage.

Tusculum was in position to widen the lead in the seventh inning when Carlos Rivera led off with his 12^th double of the season and later moved to third on a Gonzalez bunt single. After Gonzalez stole second to put two runners in scoring positions with no outs, Webb grounded a dribbler up the first base line and was out at the bag. But on the play, Gonzalez wandered off the bag at second and was tagged for the second out of the inning. Cotten flied out to end the inning as the Eagles stayed in striking distance.

C-N wasted little time, as Mills Rogers reached second on a two-base error to lead off the eighth inning. Pinch-hitter Wesley Dozier moved Rogers over to third with his infield single, placing runners on the corners. Tyler Wynn sent a liner to left field, which averted the diving Christian Rosa and rolled all the way to the wall for a two-run triple. With the tying run 90-feet away, reliever Mat Galens came aboard and got Jonathan McMahon to fly out in foul territory in shallow right field and followed with a strikeout of Langdon Potts. During Jason Gray’s at-bat, Wynn scored the tying run on a passed ball to knot the game at 7-7.

The Eagles mounted a rally in the top of the ninth as Derek Long drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by All-Region outfielder Nick Achberger. After Corey Lamson walked, both C-N runners would move into scoring position on ground out. Galens got out of the jam striking out Dozier to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Rosa was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. Rivera singled up the middle as Rosa slid into third with the game-winning run. On the play, Rivera moved to second on the throw. It was déjà vu scenario for Tusculum and Carson-Newman. In the second game of a Mar. 22^nd doubleheader earlier this season, a similar situation occurred. With the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the 12^th inning, the Pioneers had a runners in scoring position with runners at second and third and one out against the Eagles. With first base open, C-N elected to intentionally walk Gonzalez to get to Webb. In that game, Webb singled in the game-winning run for a 3-2 TC victory.

The Eagles elected to walk Gonzalez and Webb answered again with a walk-off single down the left field line to score Rosa for the win.

Webb finished the game going 2-for-4 with four RBI, including his fifth home run of the season. Gonzalez went 3-for-4, including his 102^nd hit of the year, establishing a new school and conference record, breaking the previous season-best of 101 by Rivera in 2007. Gonzalez tallied another single-season mark with his 30^th stolen base, breaking the record 29 set by Rosa last year.

Rivera also posted a 3-for-5 day, while Aaron Hudgins with 3-for-4 with a RBI.

Tusculum tallied 13 hits, while the Eagles finished with 10, including two hits each by Wynn and McMahon.

Galens picked up the win in relief as he tossed two shutout innings, walking two and striking out a pair to improve to 4-1 on the year. C-N reliever Corbin Ariail suffered the loss to fall to 3-5 on the season.

The game was slated to be a pitchers’ dual between two All-South Region First Team standouts in C-N’s Brett Hontz (11-1) and TC’s Boo Morrow (7-0). Hontz, the Region and SAC Pitcher of the Year went four innings as he allowed seven hits, seven runs and struck out three, while Morrow’s line including 4 1/3 innings, eight hits, four runs, two earned, two walks and a strikeout.

The Pioneers have won four straight over their in-state rivals and have won their last three NCAA Tournament openers.