MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Truett McConnell baseball team snatched a win when it looked like it was impossible, coming back from 6-1 down to win, 10-9, in 11 innings over the University of the Cumberlands (Ky.).
The win marks not only the first win in a NAIA tournament, but also the 100th win for head coach Mike Croley in his career.
The Patriots jumped out on top in the second inning on a Guillermo Villegas single to left field to plate Britton Elmore and take an early one-run lead. TMU answered in the top of the third on a groundout to knot the game at 1-1.
Cumberlands put up five more in the fifth inning to take a 6-1 lead. Of the five runs that were scored, three of them were unearned. Again, the Bears answered, this time in the top of the seventh on a squeeze bunt by Davis Dasher to plate Andrew Fogarty and cut the lead to four.
The big inning for TMU came in the next inning when the Bears scored six runs, all unearned, highlighted by a two-out grand slam by Tate Gaines that hit off the left field foul pole and give the Bears their first lead of the day at 8-6.
Cumberlands tied the game up in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run homer by Villegas. The Bears got out of the eighth and ninth innings to force extras, where the Bears tacked on a run in the first extra inning. After back-to-back singles to lead off the inning by Dasher and Gaines, Patrick Overstreet brought home the run on a sacrifice fly to deep left to give the Bears the one-run lead.
The Patriots answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, starting with a Villegas single, who came around to score on a Kevin Pantoja single to right-center. TMU got the lead back in the 11th after Evan Bensch led off the inning by being hit by a pitch. After a Fogarty single and an error, Austin Bishop brought home the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly.
Cumberlands had its chance to score in the 11th after getting a runner to third with two outs, but Caleb Jameson shut the door to preserve the win.
Gaines finished 2-for-5 with four RBI, while Fogarty and Dasher each had three hits. Jameson was credited with the win after throwing four innings of relief with two strikeouts.
The Bears have a quick turnaround as they will play top-seeded and nationally No. 4 ranked Faulkner later tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 CST.
