Ninth Inning Rally Stuns Baseball, 13-12
Box Score
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March 7, 2009) - The West Virginia Wesleyan Bobcats scored eight runs in the bottom of the ninth to rally past the C.W. Post baseball team and defeat the Pioneers by a final score of 13-12, in baseball action at the Russ Matt Invitational on Saturday afternoon.
The Pioneers drop to 0-5 on the season while the Bobcats improve to 3-7.
Edward Bartley (Bethpage, N.Y.) doubled down the left field line to lead off the game, and scored on
Kyle Walker's (Wantagh, N.Y.) single to left.
Bryan Bonin (Commack, N.Y.), who had reached on a single, scored on
Anthony Montesano's (Bellmore, N.Y.) fielder's choice.
The Bobcats answered with two runs of their own off starter
Michael Behar (Staten Island, N.Y.) as an infield error and an RBI single accounted for the two runs.
The Pioneers pulled ahead again in the second as Bonin's triple to center scored
Stephen Orefice (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), who had singled.
West Virginia Wesleyan answered right back yet again as a bases loaded walk plated a run.
Mark Czerniawski (Glen Cove, N.Y.) came on in relief and worked out of the bases loaded jam with a strikeout and a groundout to preserve the tie, 3-3.
The Bobcats pulled ahead with a run in the third as a Pioneer outfield error allowed the runner to reach second, and a single through the right side put WVW on top, 4-3.
In the top of the fifth,
Mike Callaghan (East Meadow, N.Y.) homered with a runner on second to give the Pioneers back the lead, and five more runs in the sixth gave the Pioneers a 10-4 cushion. Another Bonin RBI single in the eighth put the Pioneers up 12-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
However, the comeback-minded Bobcats strung together eight hits in the inning, with a bases-loaded walk –off hit scoring the winning run to hand their Pioneers their fifth straight loss.
The Pioneers pounded out 19 hits in the game, including Bonin's 4-for-5, two run, three RBI outing. Also notching multiple hits for CWP were Walker (2-for-6, RBI), Montesano (3-for-5, 2 runs, 3 RBI), Callaghan (3-for-6, 3 runs, 3 RBI), Mike Alfano (xx) (2-for-5, run, RBI) and Orefice (3-for-3, 2 runs, RBI).
Mike Stolfi (Cos Cob, Conn.) took the loss as the winning run was charged to him. Czerniawski threw well despite the loss, working 6.2 innings in relief of starter Behar, who went 1.1 innings and gave up three runs on four hits and three walks.
The Bobcats made a winner of Ross Ware, who pitched an inning in relief and gave up only one hit.
C.W. Post will play a Northeast Region doubleheader tomorrow starting at 1 p.m. against NE-10 rival Stonehill College.