Murray State University Athletics
Murray State
11-12, 5-3
SIU Edwardsville
6-12, 4-4
Breds Almost Complete Improbable Comeback
3/23/2013 3:14:00 PM | Baseball
SIU Edwardsville took advantage of a pair of fielding errors in the first inning to push across nine unearned runs and hang on for dear life in defeating Murray State 13-12 in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Simmons Complex.
Trailing by five runs heading to the ninth inning, as Noah Zipko drew a one-out walk and went to second on Brandon Elliott's single through the left side. Nick Paradossi drove in his third run of the day with a double to right center. After a pitching change, Paul Ritzheimer drew a walk to load the bases and Stetson was hit by a pitch to score Elliott from third. Taylor Mathews cleared the bases with a three-run double into the right-field corner. Unfortunately, a pair of flyouts ended the game and the threat.
The game did not start the same for the Breds on Saturday as a pair of fielding errors helped open the flood gates for the Cougars to push across 11 runs in the inning. With runners on the corners and one out, Devin Caldwell delivered an RBI single through the left side. The next hitter hit a grounder to short that should have been an inning-ending double play, but was bobbled and allowed the runner to score from second. Another fielding error allowed one more run to score before back-to-back hits from Travis Becherer and Matt Highland plated four more runs. Caldwell continued his big first inning as he added a three-run home run to left field to round out the scoring.
The Cougars (6-12, 4-4 OVC) added a run in the fourth as a pair of singles put runners on the corners with one out for Nick Lombardo to line a sacrifice fly down the right-field line.
The Breds (11-12, 5-3 OVC) got back into the game in the fifth inning as they pushed across seven runs on six hits in the frame. Zipko started the inning with a double down the left-field line. After Elliott was hit by a pitch and a passed ball, Nick Paradossi delivered a two-run single to left center. Ritzheimer followed with a single and Ty Stetson drew a walk to set up a Mathews RBI single through the right side on an 0-2 pitch. Brandon Eggenschwiler continued the hit parade with a two-run single to center field, ending the day for the starting pitcher. Dylan Wheeler drove in the sixth run of the inning with a groundout to first base, before Zipko closed out the scoring with an RBI single to left center.
The third fielding error haunted the Breds again in the sixth as the leadoff hitter reached and came around to score on a Denton Reed single to center field.
Andrew Bramley (0-1) took the loss after giving up nine runs, two earned, on four hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Sam Hopkins (1-1) was credited with the victory after entering in the fifth and not allowing a run in two-thirds of an inning. Tony Schaeffer (4) earned the save after allowing a hit and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.
Mathews led the offense by going 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Paradossi added a pair of hits and drove in three runs. Zipko, Elliott and Ritzheimer each added a pair of hits as the Breds collected 12 in the game.
The two teams will play the second game of the doubleheader approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: HOPKINS, Sam (1-1)
L: Bramley, Andrew (0-1)
S: SCHAEFFER, Tony (4)
Batting:
2B: Mathews, Taylor 1 ; Zipko, Noah 1 ; Elliott, Brandon 1 ; Paradossi, Nick 1
RBI: Stetson, Ty 1 ; Mathews, Taylor 4 ; Eggenschwiler, Brandon 2 ; Wheeler, Dylan 1 ; Zipko, Noah 1 ; Paradossi, Nick 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Stetson, Ty 2 ; Mathews, Taylor 1 ; Eggenschwiler, Brandon 1 ; Zipko, Noah 2 ; Elliott, Brandon 2 ; Paradossi, Nick 2 ; Ritzheimer, Paul 2
HBP: Stetson, Ty 1 ; Elliott, Brandon 1
Batting:
2B: BECHERER, Travis 1
HR: CALDWELL, Devin 1
RBI: BECHERER, Travis 2 ; HIGHLAND, Matt 2 ; CALDWELL, Devin 4 ; GEISSINGER, Skyler 1 ; MANSFIELD, Ryan 1 ; LOMBARDO, Nick 1 ; REED, Denton 1
SF: LOMBARDO, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BECHERER, Travis 2 ; HIGHLAND, Matt 1 ; GREATTING, Joel 2 ; CALDWELL, Devin 2 ; GEISSINGER, Skyler 3 ; MANSFIELD, Ryan 1 ; LOMBARDO, Nick 1 ; REED, Denton 1
SB: BECHERER, Travis 1
CS: CALDWELL, Devin 1
HBP: GREATTING, Joel 2
