Marshall University Athletics
Dragons Avoid Sweep, Outslug Herd 14-11
3/25/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Dragons Avoid Sweep, Outslug Herd 14-11
3/25/2003
- Box Score
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. ? Drexel?s Josh Brandt hit a game-winning three-run home run in the top of the tenth inning to lead the Dragons to a 14-11 victory over Marshall at University Heights on Tuesday.
Brandt clubbed a Scott Henning (Wilmington, Del.) pitch into deep left field with two outs to give the Dragons (4-12) a three-run edge going into the Herd?s final at bat. Henning led off the bottom of the tenth with a single, but the Herd then retired in order to end the game.
Marshall (8-12-1) trailed 7-6 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, but busted out for four runs to take a 10-7 lead. Chris Fritz (Ashland, Ky.) came in as a pinch runner, the pitcher?s first action of 2003 since off-season surgery, and scored when Josh McConnell (Phenix City, Ala.) hit a fielder?s choice RBI to the shortstop.
Henning could not contain the Dragon bats in the top of the eighth, as Brent Heaberlin homered to left field to score three runs. Steve Johnson singled through the left side to score John Tredinnick to put Marshall down by one run, 11-10.
McConnell recorded his fourth RBI of the day in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 11-11 and subsequently send it into extra innings.
"Henning has pitched well for us this season," Marshall head coach Dave Piepenbrink said, "he just didn't have his best stuff today."
Henning (0-2) has made five appearances for the Thundering Herd this season and has one save.
Brett Hraban (2-1) notched the victory for Drexel after starter Jarame Beaupre bowed out after 3.2 innings, surrendering nine hits and five runs.
Drexel jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning after Marshall starter Patrick Molinari (Plainfield, Ill.) walked the bases loaded as the first three Dragons stepped to the plate. Heaberlin was then hit by an errant Molinari delivery, plating the first Drexel run. Harry Ley then ripped a double to left field that scored Josh Yocum and Jeff Lamb.
Piepenbrink then made a call to his bullpen and sent Fritz Conrad (Ocoee, Fla.) to the rubber to try to minimize the damage. Luke Sundheim promptly singled to score two more runs, but Conrad was able to retire three of the next four hitters without allowing another run.
Marshall bounced right back in its initial at bat when the inning was led off with two straight singles by Adam Frederick (Franklin, Pa.) and Mike Koitsopoulos (Markham, Ont.). Craig Dziedziejko (Kitchener, Ont.) then stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run double down the left field line to cut the Drexel lead to 5-2. Marshall was not finished, however, as Henning ripped a ball into right center field that scored Dziedziejko and nearly scored Corie O?Bryan (Frederick, Md.), but the Herd third baseman was thrown out at the plate, forcing MU to settle for a two-run deficit after one inning.
Conrad sat down six of the next seven Dragons, and the Herd managed to knot things up at 5-5 in the bottom of the third. O?Bryan reached on a single and later scored on a Matt LaFleur (Chesapeake, Va.) blooper down the right field line. Rich Russell (Toronto, Ont.) crossed the plate after McConnell punched a single to left field that was misplayed by Tredinnick. LaFleur attempted to score on the error but a quick relay nabbed the freshman at the plate.
Drexel added a run in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 7-5 lead. Drexel?s fourth inning run was the result of a fielder?s choice when the 6-4-3 inning-ending double play attempt was not quick enough to get Heaberlin.
McConnell hit a RBI ground out to the shortstop that scored Henning to narrow the gap at 7-6 in the fifth inning.
"Both teams battled hard, but they (Drexel) fought harder and deserved the win," Piepenbrink said.
McConnell and Dziedziejko were both 2-for-6 in the game. McConnell registered four RBIs while the Herd first baseman brought in three runs.
Marshall will return to the diamond on Friday as the Western Michigan Broncos visit University Heights to open Mid-American Conference play at 3 p.m. The Broncos and Herd will play a Saturday doubleheader before wrapping up the four-game set on Sunday.
Series Notes: Marshall wins, 2-1
Chris Meadows moved into a third place tie on the career appearances list, with number 54 coming on Tuesday, his 11th appearance of 2003, tying him with former Herd pitcher Steve Diamond (1992-95)...Corie O?Bryan was hit by five Drexel pitches in the three-game set...Francois Larmore hit home runs in three consecutive games, including two in the first two games of the series, to extend his MAC-leading home run total to eight...Marshall failed to gain its first three-game sweep since winning three from North Carolina A&T in March of 2000.
