April 9, 2006
Grove City outlasts Thomas More in 13 innings
CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. -- The Grove City College baseball team improved to 6-3 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference Sunday afternoon with a come-from-behind 10-6, 13-inning victory over Thomas More. The PAC-leading Wolverines (13-5 overall) tied the game with two two-out runs in the top of the ninth, then won the game with four runs in the 13th inning.
Sophomore third baseman Bryan Pierrot (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth) tied the game with a two-run single in the top of the ninth, scoring junior first baseman Dan Bartkowiak (Fredonia, N.Y./Fredonia) and freshman second baseman Ben Wilson (Mechanicsville, Va./Lee-Davis).
In the top of the 13th, sophomore catcher Ray Mertz (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) opened the inning with a single. Consecutive errors loaded the bases with no outs. Sophomore center fielder John Coyne (Solon, Ohio/Solon) and senior shortstop Mike Ritter (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) both hit sacrifice flies while an error and a fielder's choice scored Bartkowiak and Wilson, respectively.
Junior reliever Eric Hull (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) earned the win by pitching two hitless innings of relief. Sophomore Chris Bowser (Stow, Ohio/Stow) started for the Wolverines and allowed four earned runs and eight hits in six innings.
Sophomore Matt Tindall (Copley, Ohio/Copley) allowed one unearned run in two innings of relief while senior Mike Kennedy (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) blanked the Saints in the ninth and 10th innings.
Grove City took a 2-0 lead in the first as Ritter doubled and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Pierrot scored the first run of the game on an RBI single by sophomore DH Mike Hess (Sewickley, Pa./Avonworth). The Wolverines extended their lead to 4-1 in the second as Coyne ripped a two-run double.
Wilson went a career-best 4-for-5 in the win for Grove City. He and Bartkowiak each scored three runs while Hess and Pierrot both had a pair of hits.
Grove City will host La Roche in non-conference play Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.
Go back to Wolverine Baseball Home Page