Thursday, May 14
Davidson, N.C.
7:00 pm
Davidson College
8
vs
10 (12)
Western Carolina
Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Western Carolina Outlasts Davidson, 10-8, in 12 Innings
5/15/2009 1:11:39 AM | Baseball
Box Score
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Chase FitzPatrick's 14th home run of the season jump started a five-run ninth inning to force extra innings, but the Davidson Wildcats ran out of answers, dropping a 10-8, 12-inning decision to Western Carolina Thursday night in the opening game of the regular-season Southern Conference finale.
Entering the bottom of the ninth trailing 6-1, FitzPatrick's home run moved him into third on Davidson's (18-27, 11-14) all-time single season list and cut Western's lead to 6-3 with no outs.
The third relief pitcher used by Western (32-20, 17-10) in the contest, Brandon Johnson took the mound to start the decisive frame, dealing a leadoff walk to Danny Weiss before the two-run blast to FitzPatrick.
Matt Webb earned a walk to bring on Daniel Ottone, and James Cerbie kept the rally rolling, dropping a base hit into right. Brett Shore drove in Webb for the third run of the inning.
Shore took second on a wild pitch, and Tommy Piacenza got an infield single on a hard-hit ball to Johnson to score another and put the tying run on third. Ottone sat Pat Brady down on strikes, but Zach Kayne lifted a 1-2 pitch into center field to sacrifice in Cerbie for the tying run. Drew Gadaire flew out to end the inning and send the game into extra innings.
After a shutout inning, Chris Kennedy worked into some trouble in the 10th, giving up a pair of one-out singles and hitting a batter to load the bases. Nick Liles singled to center field to send in two runs, but Thomas Middour got a fly out and a punch out to leave the bases jammed.
The Wildcats found some more magic in the bottom of the 10th, again keyed by FitzPatrick, who hit a one-out single into left center field. Webb struck out for the second out, but Cerbie crushed a 2-2 pitch to left for his third home run of the season to tie the score again. Shore grounded out to end the inning, and Western got the winning runs in the top of the 12th on a pair of RBI-singles.
Entering with the bases loaded, Mac Hunter struck out three straight to leave it that way, but the Davidson offense would not answer again in the bottom of the inning.
Both starters were effective, but neither factored into the decision.
Chris Lamb scattered five hits for three runs (two earned) over 5 1/3 innings and used six strikeouts to work out of some jams, including a back-to-back pair to strand two in the first.
In a wasted effort, Chris Masters was masterful for Western, allowing just one unearned run on four hits while walking one and striking out 10 in seven innings.
The Wildcats managed just a lone hit through five innings and finished with 10, led by Cerbie, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI. FitzPatrick finished 2-for-5 and drove in a pair, while Shore also had a pair of hits.
For Western, Dylan de Graaf batted 4-for-6 with an RBI, and Liles was 3-for-5 with an RBI. The Catamounts finished with 16 hits, with three other players getting a pair of hits.
Davidson and Western will play the second game of the series tomorrow at 6 p.m.
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Chase FitzPatrick's 14th home run of the season jump started a five-run ninth inning to force extra innings, but the Davidson Wildcats ran out of answers, dropping a 10-8, 12-inning decision to Western Carolina Thursday night in the opening game of the regular-season Southern Conference finale.
Entering the bottom of the ninth trailing 6-1, FitzPatrick's home run moved him into third on Davidson's (18-27, 11-14) all-time single season list and cut Western's lead to 6-3 with no outs.
The third relief pitcher used by Western (32-20, 17-10) in the contest, Brandon Johnson took the mound to start the decisive frame, dealing a leadoff walk to Danny Weiss before the two-run blast to FitzPatrick.
Matt Webb earned a walk to bring on Daniel Ottone, and James Cerbie kept the rally rolling, dropping a base hit into right. Brett Shore drove in Webb for the third run of the inning.
Shore took second on a wild pitch, and Tommy Piacenza got an infield single on a hard-hit ball to Johnson to score another and put the tying run on third. Ottone sat Pat Brady down on strikes, but Zach Kayne lifted a 1-2 pitch into center field to sacrifice in Cerbie for the tying run. Drew Gadaire flew out to end the inning and send the game into extra innings.
After a shutout inning, Chris Kennedy worked into some trouble in the 10th, giving up a pair of one-out singles and hitting a batter to load the bases. Nick Liles singled to center field to send in two runs, but Thomas Middour got a fly out and a punch out to leave the bases jammed.
The Wildcats found some more magic in the bottom of the 10th, again keyed by FitzPatrick, who hit a one-out single into left center field. Webb struck out for the second out, but Cerbie crushed a 2-2 pitch to left for his third home run of the season to tie the score again. Shore grounded out to end the inning, and Western got the winning runs in the top of the 12th on a pair of RBI-singles.
Entering with the bases loaded, Mac Hunter struck out three straight to leave it that way, but the Davidson offense would not answer again in the bottom of the inning.
Both starters were effective, but neither factored into the decision.
Chris Lamb scattered five hits for three runs (two earned) over 5 1/3 innings and used six strikeouts to work out of some jams, including a back-to-back pair to strand two in the first.
In a wasted effort, Chris Masters was masterful for Western, allowing just one unearned run on four hits while walking one and striking out 10 in seven innings.
The Wildcats managed just a lone hit through five innings and finished with 10, led by Cerbie, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI. FitzPatrick finished 2-for-5 and drove in a pair, while Shore also had a pair of hits.
For Western, Dylan de Graaf batted 4-for-6 with an RBI, and Liles was 3-for-5 with an RBI. The Catamounts finished with 16 hits, with three other players getting a pair of hits.
Davidson and Western will play the second game of the series tomorrow at 6 p.m.
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