Newman Park Magic: four-run ninth sends #4 Baseball to win away from SAC Champ series

Salisbury, N.C. —- Trailing by a run heading into the final at-bat the fourth-ranked Catawba College baseball team plated four runs in the top of the ninth inning to earn a 5-2 victory over fourth-seeded Limestone to move to one win away from a trip to the South Atlantic Conference Championship series.

TEAM STATISTICS

- Catawba out-hit Limestone 9-7

- The Catawba Indians had three of five extra-base hits, but the Saints recorded both homers

- Both teams committed an error

- Catawba left nine runners on base; Limestone stranded 11

- The Catawba Indians recorded both stolen bases in the contest

- Catawba's pitchers allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out five; Limestone's staff allowed five runs on nine hits and four walks, striking out five

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

- Nathan Chrismon recorded two hits with two runs scored

- Ty Hubbard came up with the go-ahead double with two RBI and a run scored

- Sam Hunter tallied three hits with a walk

- Seth Sharpe earned the win, throwing 2.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts

- Hayden Simmerson earned his 15th save of the season in a scoreless ninth

HOW IT HAPPENED

SIXTH INNING

- Ben Partridge broke the scoreless tie with a solo homer to lead off the sixth

- Sion Barnette followed with another solo blast to make it a 2-0 Limestone lead

SEVENTH INNING

- Chrismon singled up the middle with one out and Sean Shelly hit an RBI double off the left field wall to chase the Limestone starter

NINTH INNING

- Chrismon was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch to lead off the ninth

- A single and another hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with nobody out

- Hubbard ripped the go-ahead double to center field to score two runs

- A passed ball scored Cooper Bryson from third to extend the lead

- Dylan Driver doubled the opposite way to right-center to add an extra insurance score

UP NEXT

- Catawba will take on either Coker, Limestone or Newberry in the bracket title game; needing a win in one of two tries to advance to next week's SAC Championship Series in Asheboro

- The game will be either Sunday at 8 p.m. or early Monday depending on the advancing team