COLLEGE STATION, TX Matt Lawson's bases loaded RBI single to third in the bottom of the 14th propelled Missouri State to an 8-7 victory over UNC Greensboro Saturday evening in the third game of the Domino's Pizza Aggie Baseball Classic.
Senior pitcher Jonathan Nichols retired the first two batters of the inning on routine groundouts, but then allowed a walk, a bunt single and a second walk to load the bases prior to Lawson's game-winning at-bat.
Chris Krawczyk earned the win in relief after allowing no runs on three hits in 5-2/3 innings on the hill. Nichols took the loss after allowing just the one run on four hits in 3-2/3 innings of mound duty.
UNCG struck for two runs on two hits to grab an early two-run lead after a half inning of play.
Daingerfield, TX native Jermaine Mitchell led off the frame with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by shortstop David Adams. Guy Welsh then smashed a double to right to drive home Mitchell for his team-leading sixth RBI of the season. One batter later, Brandon Harvey plated Welsh with a single to rightfield to cap the inning.
Welsh gave the Spartans a 4-0 lead and picked up two more RBI in the second inning with a single up the middle to score Wes McCall and Mitchell. McCall singled to start the inning and reached second on an error on the Bear infield before making it to third on a putout on the infield. Mitchell reached on a fielder's choice and raced to second on an error on Missouri State's catcher before Welsh earned his second and third RBI's of the game.
Missouri State cut the lead in half at 4-2 on a pair of RBI groundouts during its half of the second inning. With the bases loaded and no one out, Jacob Hilgendorf drove home Tim Rafferty on a ground ball to shortstop and Tanner Mattson followed with a groundout to third base to score Nolan Keane from third.
The Spartans pushed their lead back out to three runs as Greg Matson plated Mike Mongiello on a single to rightfield to give UNCG a 5-2 lead. Missouri State responded in their half of the fourth with two runs with two outs capped by an RBI single up the middle from Mattson. The Bears plated the equalizer in the bottom of the fifth when Matt Weglarz drove home Chris Taylor, who started the inning with a triple to right, on a groundout to short.
Sophomore Greg Feltes gave UNCG the lead right back when he drew a bases loaded walk on a 3-2 pitch, forcing in Welsh for the Spartans' sixth run. UNCG added an insurance run in the eighth inning as Matson laced a double to left to score Welsh from first who singled for his fourth hit of the afternoon.
The Bears answered with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at seven runs apiece. Tony Lewis collected an RBI single and Mattson added his third RBI of the game with a sac fly to right to account for the two runs.
Welsh led UNCG at the plate as the Tucson, AZ native went 5-for-7 with three RBI and three runs scored. McCall also chipped in with three hits while Matson and Feltes each had a pair as well.
UNCG returns to the diamond Sunday afternoon when the Spartans meet Utah in the fifth game of the Aggie Baseball Classic. First pitch between the Spartans and Utes is scheduled for 2 pm ET from Olsen Field.
AGATE:
Missouri State 8, UNC Greensboro 7 (Feb 25, 2006 at College Station, TX)
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UNC Greensboro...... 220 101 010 000 00 - 7 15 2 (1-5)
Missouri State...... 020 210 020 000 01 - 8 16 5 (1-1)
Pitchers: UNC Greensboro - Greg Martin; Patrick Currin(4); Brandon Harvey(9); Clay Gibson(11);
Jonathan Nichols(11). Missouri State - Detwiler; Bunten(6); Krawczyk(9).
Win-Krawczyk(1-0) Loss-Jonathan Nichols(0-1) T-4:52 A-202
- UNCG -
