AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Spalding Golden Eagles hung on to win a back and forth game against #1 ranked Mass-Boston, 11-9, Thursday afternoon at the RussMatt Invitational in Auburndale, Fla.
THE BASICS
SCORE: Spalding 11 – Mass-Boston 9
LOCATION: Lake Myrtle Main Field, Auburndale, Fla.
RECORDS: Spalding 12-3, UMass Boston 8-2
HIGHLIGHTS
Trailing 3-0, Spalding responded with a four-run third inning to pull ahead, 4-3. Kyle Steven led off the inning with a double down the right field line and scored on an Eric Meyer single through the left side to get the Golden Eagles on the scoreboard. Garett Wilson followed with a single and Dillion Sievert was hit by a pitch to juice the bases. Clay Kelly singled scoring Meyer from third keeping the bases loaded, Joe Hatcher reached on a fielder's choice scoring Wilson and Sievert came home on a Quenton Brownlee fielder's choice for the final run of the inning.
After a pair of Beacon runs in the bottom of the third, SU answered with a pair in the top of the fifth to retake the lead. Kelly reached with a leadoff single to right and advance to second following a Hatcher strikeout swinging, and crossed the plate on a Brownlee double down the left field line. Matt Harper followed Brownlee with a double to left center to put the Golden Eagles back in front, 6-5.
A Hatcher single through the left side brought Wilson across the plate for a second time put SU ahead, 7-5, heading into the bottom of the sixth.
Mass-Boston matched it with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but Spalding scored four more runs in the top of the seventh to take an 11-6 lead. Evan Trentman tripled to left center scoring Harper for the first run of the inning, and Sievert capped off the inning with a three-run home run scoring Trentman and Meyer.
After two runs scored in the bottom of the ninth, relief pitcher Lane Staples entered with bases loaded and two outs. The right-hander struck out UMB's Sal Frosceno for the final out the game ending the Beacons rally attempt.
STAT LEADERS
Dillon Sievert led SU with a team-high three runs batted in going 2-for-4 at the plate, including the game deciding three-run home run.
Eric Meyer went 3-for-4 with one RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Clay Kelly, Evan Trentman and Garrett Wilson each finished with a pair of hits.
Jimi Keating (4-0) escaped with his fourth victory of the season allowing seven runs, on 13 hits, while striking out eight batters in 6.1 innings pitched.
Lane Staples earned the save striking out the only batter he faced to end the game.
FOR THE FOES
Ryan McCormick was red hot at the plate going 4-for-5 with five RBI.
Joey Rogers (2-1) suffered the loss allowing six runs, five earned, on nine hits, while striking out four batters in 4.1 innings pitched.
UP NEXT
The Golden Eagles head to Crestview Hills, Ky. Wednesday, March 21 to take on Thomas More at 6:00 pm EST.