LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A matchup between two of the top teams in the SLIAC lived up to its billing on Friday when the Greenville and Spalding baseball teams went 11 innings before the game ended 2-1 in favor of the Golden Eagles.

The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth with an unearned run. With Tanner Gerdes on second base, Drew Frey hit the ball to the shortstop who committed a throwing error and allowed Gerdes to motor home for the first run of the game.

Greenville took the narrow lead to the bottom of the ninth when starting pitcher Luke Fleener went back out to the mound to attempt to close out a shutout win. After Fleener gave up a leadoff hit, head coach Lynn Carlson turned to centerfield closer Gerdes in an attempt finish the win.

With Gerdes now on the mound, Spalding stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on an RBI single to tie the game.

The Golden Eagles eventually loaded the bases in the ninth, but Gerdes retired the final batter to send the game to extra innings.

In the bottom of the 11th, Spalding loaded the bases against relief pitcher Jaxen Gibson and received a single to win the game.

Fleener had a stellar outing for the Panthers on the mound, pitching eight innings and only allowing one run on four hits with four strikeouts.

Gibson was credited with the losing pitching decision when he gave up the run in the 11th inning after pitching the 10th inning unscathed.

Rhett Pennington and Gerdes each finished with two hits for the Panthers.

Greenville (11-11, 5-1 SLIAC) will play Spalding on Saturday at Noon in a doubleheader.