By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Nine innings. Nine lead changes. Nine pitching changes. An average of nine runs scored. If someone thinks the number nine didn't play a factor in the game, then they weren't paying attention.
The Tennessee Tech baseball team made the most important nine of the game count Friday evening, as the Golden Eagles scored the go-ahead and their ninth run of the contest in the top of the ninth inning to down Ohio Valley Conference rival Jacksonville State, 10-8.
It was a game that made fans reminisce back to May 25th of last season. Back to the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship game and the last time these two foes faced off. The Gamecocks enjoyed the final celebration that day, capping a historic six-game win streak while facing elimination and taking home the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
But tonight was different. Each team presented lineups that hardly resembled those of 11 months ago. Gone were 11 of the 18 batters in the season finale, six of them draftees in the MLB First Year Player Draft.
One could imagine all that change would make things interesting to say the least, and that's exactly what the night was. Interesting.
The Golden Eagles immediately got things going as sophomore Tyler Brazelton was plunked in the first plate appearance of the game. Three batters later, freshman Chase Chambers gave the Tech squad its first of four separate leads on the night, cracking an RBI single to second base.
That hardly mattered to the home team, as the Gamecocks answered with a two spot in the bottom half of the game's first frame, plating runs off singles by Ryan Sebra and Tyler Gamble. Jax State then doubled its output in the second, this time using a sacrifice fly by Clayton Daniel and RBI single by Paschal Petrongolo. Tech managed to end the frame with an outfield assist by right fielder Anthony El Chibani, gunning out Petrongolo at second base, unfortunately after the run had scored. Just like that, Tech trailed 4-1…for a whopping two outs.
In the top of the third, it took just two pitches for Brazelton to earn a place on first base after getting hit. Two batters later, All-American Dylan Bosheers singled to put two on with one out. With two outs, senior Jordan Hopkins kept things alive after a JSU miscue allowed him to reach safely and a run to score.
Next up for the Golden Eagles was a young man quickly earning the nickname Mr. Clutch, freshman designated hitter Ryan Flick. The slugger wasted no time making the Gamecocks regret the error the play before, sending the first pitch he saw clear into the stratosphere for a three-run home run and a sending the Tech squad back into the lead.
As if on cue, the Jax State team pulled a third consecutive two spot out of its hat, thanks to an RBI triple from Paul Angel and RBI single up the middle by Elliot McCummings. Three innings into the ball game and there were already four lead changes.
Each side traded zeros across the fourth and fifth frames, reaching the halfway point with a Gamecock lead of 6-5.
But naturally, at least on this night, that was going to change. The Golden Eagles played some small ball in the top of the sixth, with El Chibani sac bunting Josh Pankratz, who had led off the frame with a single, over to second base. Two batters later, senior center fielder David Allen knotted things at sixes, poking a single to left field to drive in Pankratz.
With Bosheers at the plate, Allen swiped second base to put himself in scoring position for his fellow senior veteran. And that worked to perfection as the shortstop sent the second pitch he was offered to to right field for Tech's third lead of the contest. TTU 7, JSU 6.
As if to just keep monotony from ever entering the minds of anyone watching the game, the Gamecocks took advantage of its first opportunity to tie the game. The home squad used its own small ball approach, using a sac bunt to move runners to second and third with just one out. Hayden White managed a sacrifice fly to fight field to even things at 7-7, but Tech hurler Trevor Maloney, who had entered just before at bat, shut down the threat by inducing a groundout.
The Jax State pitching staff blanked the Tech bats in the top half of the seventh, giving its own offense the opportunity to retake the lead…again. And that's what it did, using a Golden Eagle miscue with one out and two on to snag an 8-7 advantage. Kyle Godwin took over on the hill for the Tech squad following the run, closing out the frame with a groundout and flyout.
It seemed no team felt comfortable with the lead in this one, as the Tech squad took its turn in the eighth. Following a quick first out, El Chibani reached on an error and advanced to second base, giving Brazelton a chance at tying the game for a third time. The left fielder delivered with an RBI single to right field. In the top of the eighth, the reset button had been pressed.
In the bottom half, Jax State threatened to take back the lead, plating two runners with two outs and prompting another pitching change by Tech head coach Matt Bragga. Freshman Travis Moths took his turn on the mound, showing some signs of nervousness after Clayton Daniel worked a 2-2 count. A balk by Moths led both runners advancing to second and third, respectively, leaving the Gamecocks a base hit away from a two-run lead. The right-handed hurler rebounded impressively, fanning Daniel on the next pitch to end the threat and give Tech one last opportunity.
For the home team, it was one chance too many. Catcher Jordan Hopkins led off with a four-pitch walk. Junior Jake Farr reached after two pitches in his at bat on the third miscue of the game by the Jax State defense.
One out. Two men on.
Enter Pankratz. The third baseman saw just on pitch before connecting on one he liked. The junior dropped the offering into left field, driving in Hopkins and propelling the Golden Eagles back into the lead…yet again. Redshirt freshman Matt Cunningham tallied a big insurance run following a pitching change and strikeout, singling to left center field and upping the Tech lead to 10-8.
Senior closer Cain Sloan entered the game to start the bottom of the ninth, striking out the first batter he faced for a quick first out. Two pitches later he induced a pop up to put the taste of victory in the mouths of everyone in the visiting dugout.
The only problem was, the home team wasn't done yet. Ryan Sebra laced a two-out double down the left field line to keep things alive. Paul Angel then walked to put runners on first and second with Elliot McCummings up at the plate. Sloan quickly got ahead of the batter, and, on an 0-2 offering, watched Bosheers snag a line drive for the third and final out in both an emotionally and physically draining contest.
The win gave the Golden Eagles a two-game lead in the all-time series, and, more importantly, moved the squad to 7-9 in league play.
With one of the biggest outs of the contest on his resume, Moths picked up his second victory of the season. Seven Tech batters recorded at least one RBI, with Flick leading the way with three on the night. He also launched his team-leading sixth home run of the season into right field as part of a 2-for-5 performance at the plate.
As if the number nine didn't make a big enough impact, nine of the 10 Golden Eagle batters managed at least one hit in the contest, with Allen, Bosheers, Flick and Pankratz each tallying two.
The unmatchable feeling of victory, especially on this night, will quickly disappear as Tech and Jax State will get game two of the series underway Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. CT. Evan Fraliex will take the mound for the Golden Eagles, looking to capture the team's second straight OVC series win.
Photo by Jim Dillon
