Story courtesy of Kentucky sports information
College of Charleston 5, Notre Dame 4 (16 inn.)
LEXIGNTON ? Ben Lasater’s RBI double in the bottom of the 16th inning plated Oliver Marmol ending a game that is tied for the second longest in NCAA Tournament history and lifting No. 2-seed College of Charleston to a thrilling 5-4 victory over No. 3-seed Notre Dame in the opening round of the Lexington Regional.
The game, witnessed by 2,338 at Kentucky’s Cliff Hagan Stadium, tied a South Alabama-Clemson contest for the second-longest in tournament annals. Only a 19-inning marathon in 1988 when Clemson downed Fordham, 3-2, has lasted longer. Ironically, Kentucky’s baseball team played the game immediately following both Clemson and CofC’s victories.
Lasater’s game-winning hit spoiled a brilliant pitching outing by Notre Dame reliever Kyle Weiland. He took the hard-luck loss to fall to 2-4 on the year. He worked seven shutout innings while allowing two hits and striking out seven before the 16th.
Notre Dame used just two pitchers as ace Jeff Samardzija, also an All-American wide receiver for the Irish football team, gave up four runs on seven hits in the first eight innings. He cruised along through the first five innings, allowing a single run on a balk in the second frame.
However, the Cougars struck the big blow off the bat of catcher Alex Garabedian in the sixth. Larry Cobb and Jess Easterling led off with consecutive singles to right field before Garabedian launched a three-run blast over the left-center field wall to knot the game at 4-4.
Notre Dame struck for two runs in the top of the first on RBI doubles by Brett Lilley and Steve Andres. Andres’ suffered a bit of bad luck, as his ball careened off the scoreboard in right field, which is in play at Cliff Hagan Stadium. It prevented a two-run homer and Andres was stranded on second.
The Irish struck for a single run in the second on a solo home run by Alex Nettey. After the College of Charleston run in the home half of the inning, Notre Dame made it 3-1 despite squandering a big rally in the third.
Three straight singles loaded the bases with nobody out. Sean Gaston got one run in with a grounder, but it turned into a momentum-killing double play.
With the exception of Garabedian’s blast, the team’s remained scoreless until the fateful 16th.
Notre Dame’s best chance to win in extra innings came in the 15th. Nettey drew a one-out walk and Greg Lopez followed with a single. However, Cody Rizzo failed to advance the runners on a bunt that turned into a fielder’s choice. Craig Cooper beat out an infield single to load the bases, but Lilley flew out to end the inning.
The Cougars used four pitchers to get through the game. Jeff Beliveau, a part-time starter, worked the final five innings to get the win and improve to 6-3. Graham Godfrey started and allowed four runs on 10 hits through 6 1/3 innings. Quinn Monsma and Josh McLaughlin combined to throw five one-hit innings before Beliveau came on.
Elon 5, Mississippi State 4
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) _ When Elon freshman Pat Irvine saw a right-hander warming up in the eighth inning, he knew his time was coming. Moments later, Irvine slapped a pinch hit, two-out single between shortstop and third base to drive in the winning run as the Phoenix got their first ever NCAA tournament victory, 5-4, over Mississippi State to open the Clemson Regional on Friday.
Irvine had started 31 games this season, but only one since May 6. That didn't stop him from delivering when Elon needed him the most. "I would say it's probably the biggest hit I ever had," Irvine said, laughing.
This was only the second NCAA trip ever for the Phoenix (45-16), who bowed out of a regional at Clemson's Doug Kingsmore Stadium in 2002 after two straight defeats.
Now, Elon will meet either Clemson or North Carolina-Asheville in a winner's game Saturday. The Bulldogs (35-22) take on that game's loser in an elimination game.
Things were tied at 4 with one out when Ryan Addison started the winning rally with his third hit. Addison stole second and took third on Paul Bennett's fly ball to right. That brought up Irvine, a former starter benched late in the season because he's not as effective against lefty pitchers.
"That was the only issue with that," Elon coach Mike Kennedy said.
When Irvine spied Mississippi State freshman Chad Crosswhite, a right-hander, loosening up, his adrenaline started to amp up. Moments later, he was battling Crosswhite with the game on the line. Irvine's hit was his first since May 6, the RBI was his first since April 14.
With one out in the eighth, Ryan Addison got his third hit. He stole second to get in scoring position. Irvine put the ball out of reach of the shortstop and Addison trotted home with the winning run.
"All I had to do was hold that guy," Crosswhite said. "And I couldn't do it."
Elon closer Chad Tilley gave up a leadoff hit in the ninth, but retired the final three batters for his 11th save.
Jesse Lewter (5-1) worked 2 1-3 innings of relief for the victory.
It looked like the Phoenix wouldn't need a late-inning rally after going up 4-1 in the second. Chris Price walked and Addison singled. Bennett beat out a bunt to load the bases.
Jordy Snyder followed with a hard shot to third that Michael Rutledge couldn't handle and threw wild to home, scoring two runs. Bennett scored on a sacrifice fly and Snyder came in two batters later on Chris Vasmi's single.
Mississippi State tied it up in the fifth on Jeffrey Rea's two-run triple and Edward Easley's RBI groundout.
Brooks Dunn (8-6) gave up Elon's first four runs and got the loss. There was a scary moment in the top of the second after Elon shortstop Bennett collided with centerfielder Snyder as both converged on Brian LaNinfa's pop fly. Bennett was face down on the ground, motionless as teammates rushed to his side. It took several minutes before Bennett stood to cheers and was walked into the dugout. Moments later, Bennett sprinted back to his position. He later caught a pop fly for the inning's second out.
Bennett was not unconscious after the collision, just woozy, said Elon's Kennedy.
Mississippi State had won its first NCAA tournament game in eight of its past nine appearances. Now, The Bulldogs have to win to avoid going oh-for-the-double elimination tournament for the first time since 1993.
"We've never done it the easy way," Rea said. "It seems we're always fighting here, fighting there. I guess we're right where we need to be in a sense."