Baseball Rallies for Dramatic 12-10 Win Over Duquesne
4/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
KENT, Ohio-- Junior catcher Todd Balduf (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto) hit a game-tying three-run homer in the eighth inning and senior DH Gregg Hiller (Greenville, Ohio/Greenville/Marshall) won the contest with a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth, rallying the Kent State University baseball team to a 12-10 victory over Duquesne University this afternoon (Apr. 19) at Schoonover Stadium.
The two late game substitutions lifted the Golden Flashes (21-14) to their second straight win and offset a six-run third inning by Duquesne (12-19).
I felt like we needed a change (down late), said head coach Scott Stricklin. Its not that anybody on the field had done anything wrong, its just the guys on the bench deserved a shot. All of them contributed to the win.
The Golden Flashes trailed by seven runs twice and were behind 10-3 going into the seventh. Sophomore SS Andrew Davis (Chillicothe, Ohio/Zanes Trace) started the comeback with a three-run homer in that seventh inning that brought the Flashes within four, 10-6.
Sophomore catcher Will Vazquez (Berea, Ohio/Berea) blooped a double into right field in the second inning to score junior DH Kurt Eichorn (Galion, Ohio/Lexington) and five the Golden Flashes a 1-0 lead.
The lead was short lived as Duquesne loaded the bases quickly in the top of the third. Eric Morrison was hit by a pitch to force home a run and tie the game. Maiolo delivered a two-run single and Joe Berletic hit a two-run triple to put the Dukes ahead 5-1 and chase sophomore starter J.J. Pacella (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy). Maiolo added RBIs in the fourth and sixth inning and Aaron Janusey homered in the fifth.
Kent State scored twice in the fifth on a double by senior OF Eric Holick (Westlake, Ohio/Westlake) and a sacrifice fly by junior CF Joe Tucker (Canton, Ohio/Canton Central Catholic).
Hiller, who was 2-for-2 after coming on in the fifth, opened the eighth with a single and senior 1B Andy Hargrove (Richfield, Ohio/St. Ignatius/Oral Roberts) followed with a walk. Ben Whitney (Akron, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) drove in Hiller on a ball to right field Alex Sharick lost in the sun and fell in for a hit. Balduf, who entered the game in the sixth inning as a defensive replacement, then drilled the first pitch he saw from relief pitcher Bob Hartle deep over the left field fence to tie the game.
Davis walked to lead off the ninth and moved to second on a fielders choice. Hiller then went to the opposite field, giving the Flashes the walk-off win with his second home run of the season off of Sharick (1-1).
I wasnt looking to hit a home run in that situation, Hiller said. I got a good pitch on the outside and just went with it.
Tucker was 3-for-4 with a run scored and one driven in for Kent State.
Steve Maiolo had three hits and drove in four runs for Duquesne. Sharick also had three hits. Morrison, Berletic, Janusey, Bill Torre each had two hits for Dukes, with Berletic and Janusey each driving in two runs.
Duquesne starter Matt Melillo allowed three runs-two earned- on five hits in five innings and stood to be the winner until Baldufs late-inning heroics. KSUs Pacella lasted just 2.1 innings, allowing five earned runs and six total. Junior Chad Wagler (Hartville, Ohio/Lake) got the win in relief to improve to 5-3.
The Flashes close out their seven-game homestand at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 20, against the University of Pittsburgh.
GAME NOTES: It was the second time this season that Kent State has won on a walk-off homer... Duquesne had won three straight... Davis home run was his fourth this season while Balduf hit his second... Januseys was his first dinger of the year... freshman Reid Lamport (Poland, Ohio/Seminary) set a career-high with four strikeouts in 2.1 innings of relief.
