The Basics
Score: MNU 10, Northwestern Ohio 9 (10 inn)
Record: MNU (34-17), UNOH (40-15-1)
Location: Doyle Buhl Stadium – Williamsburg, Ky.
WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – MNU trailed by 2 with 2 outs in the 9th, but came away with a dramatic 10-9 extra-inning victory over Northwestern Ohio on Tuesday. The Pioneers are still alive in the Williamsburg Bracket and will play the loser of tomorrow's Missouri Baptist / Cumberlands game. MNU got on the board with a 2nd inning 2-out rally, when Christopher Lugo and Riggs Harper singled and Kristian Crespo followed with a 2-run double to give MNU the lead. UNOH scored 1 in the 4th and 2 in the 5th to take the lead, but the Pioneers tied it in the top of the 6th. The Racers rallied for 3 runs on 3 hits and 2 errors in the bottom of the 6th to put the Pioneers in a big hole, and MNU needed late heroics to stay alive.
Trailing by 2 in the top of the 9th, Brentt Olmo worked a 1-out walk and Drew Woodley followed with a single. After a strikeout put MNU on the brink, Kaden Owens skied a 3-1 pitch down the right field line, and the Pioneers celebrated as the ball disappeared over the fence.
UNOH hardly went quietly. In the bottom of the 9th with 1 out, three straight singles tied the game and put the season-ending run on 3rd. But Reece Helland struck out the next two hitters, and the game went into extras.
With 1 out in the top of the 10th, Christopher Lugo doubled into the left field corner, and a dropped pop up prevented a second out and added a baserunner. A walk loaded the bases, and Brentt Olmo drilled the first pitch into the left field corner, scoring all 3 runners and bring the score to 10-7.
UNOH made noise immediately with a homer, double, and sac fly to close the gap to 10-9 with 1 out. A lineout to center (where Olmo made a clutch twisting diving grab) put the Racers on the brink, but a single and a walk put the winning run on base, and brought freshman
Preston Graber to the mound. The righty calmly fired 2 strikes to put the hitter on defense, and the third pitch resulted in an easy chopper to 3rd, where
Riggs Harper fielded it and stepped on the bag to end it.
Turning Point
Kaden Owens' homer turned the game around.
Individual Leaders
Adam Gray struck out 5 in 4 innings. Giancarlo Cortez struck out 4 in 1.2 innings of relief. Bryce Brecklin allowed just 1 hit in 1.2 innings of relief. Reece Helland struck out 3 in 1.2 innings of relief for the win. Preston Graber picked up his 1st save by retiring his only batter. And Brentt Olmo (2-5, R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, BB), Drew Woodley (1-4, 2 R, 2 BB), Kaden Owens (1-5, R, HR, 3 RBI) Christopher Lugo (2-5, 2 R, 2B) and Kristian Crespo (2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) led the offense.
Up Next
MNU plays either 1-seed Missouri Baptist or 2-seed Cumberlands in an elimination game tomorrow around 5:30 central.
