Extra-Inning Heartbreaker

Saturday, April 13

Murray, Ky.

2 p.m.

Murray State

13-21, 6-11

Jacksonville State

19-16, 11-3

Jacksonville State

Murray State

Photo by: Samantha Mohr

4/13/2013 6:58:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Murray State and Jacksonville State traded punches for 15 innings Saturday afternoon, but in the end, it was the Gamecocks that escaped Johnny Reagan Field with the 7-6 victory.

With the score tied at five, the Gamecocks put together a two-out rally that ended with Paschal Petrongolo delivering a two-run home run to right field.

The bottom of the inning was exciting as Taylor Mathews beat out and infield single and Nick Paradossi doubled to right center. Paul Ritzheimer drove in Mathews with a groundout to short, but a strikeout and a flyout ended the threat and the game.

The Gamecocks (19-16, 11-3 OVC) broke the scoreless tie in the fourth with a pair of hits to put runners on the corners with just one out. MSU starter Cashtyn DeLeeuw nearly got out of the inning without any damage, but a wild pitch allowed the runner to score from third.

The Breds (13-21, 6-11 OVC) took the lead in the sixth as walks to Ty Stetson and Brandon Eggenschwiler surrounded a single from Brandon Elliott. Mike Kozlowski tied the game with a fielder's choice to short and Dylan Wheeler drove in the go-ahead run with a single through the right side.

JSU tied the game in the top of the eighth on a Stephen Bartlett double just inside the bag at third. Eddie Mora-Loera scored the run from second after hitting a single into the hole at short and taking second on a sacrifice bunt.

The Gamecocks took advantage of a leadoff hit by pitch in the top of the 10th to push across one run. Cal Lambert plated the runner from second with a single through the left side.

MSU had an answer in the home-half of the inning as Elliott singled to left center, and was followed by an Eggenschwiler fielder's choice sacrifice bunt and a Kozlowski walk to load the bases with no outs. Noah Zipko delivered a one-out sacrifice fly to right center to tie the game.

The scoring continued in the 10th inning as the Gamecocks got a two-run single from Andrew Bishop to take a two-run lead. The Breds answered right back as Rick Linton drew a leadoff walk and went to third on a Ritzheimer double down the left-field line. Stetson drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to right center, and Elliott followed suit with a sacrifice fly to right just a few pitches later.

Lost in the extra-inning game was the performance of the starter DeLeeuw. The junior had his best career outing as he allowed just two runs on five hits and a career-high seven strikeouts over nine innings.

Cody Maerz (0-2) took the loss as he allowed two runs on six hits over the final 4.2 innings. Tony Urban (2-0) picked up the victory after allowing one run on two hits and three strikeouts over 2.1 innings.

Eight of the nine hitters in the lineup collecting at least one hit, while six different players drove in a run. Wheeler paced the offense by going 3-for-3 with an RBI. Elliott and Eggenschwiler each added two hits.

The two teams close out the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.