LATROBE, Pa. (April 22) – In a battle of two of the hottest teams in college baseball, Saint Vincent knocked off Washington & Jefferson 2-1 in an 11-inning classic at Bearcat Ballfield.

The win extends Saint Vincent's (18-8, 14-2 PAC) program-record winning streak to 14 games, while it snaps W&J's 17-game winning streak and was the Presidents' (23-7, 16-1) first conference defeat of the season.

A pitcher's duel throughout, the Bearcats scored the victory in an unconventional fashion in the bottom of the 11th inning. With one out, Jordan Sabol doubled and TJ Dailey was intentionally walked. Austin Tirpak followed with a grounder to second base. The shortstop then misplayed the throw to get Dailey at second, allowing Sabol to scamper home with the winning run.

The two teams combined for just 15 hits over the 11 innings, with all four pitchers turning in strong performances. SVC starter Tyler Wood worked 3.1 innings and allowed one run on four hits with four strikeouts, before giving way to Aaron Stephan. Making his first relief appearance of the season, the lanky righty threw 7.2 shutout innings and allowed just three hits to earn the win.

W&J starter Henry Litman was equally as impressive, working the first eight innings and allowing one run on six hits with seven strikeouts in the no-decision. Kamden Krautz was the losing pitcher after working 2.2 innings and allowing the unearned game-winning run, striking out two and allowing two hits.

After Wood pitched around a one-out walk in the top of the first, the Bearcats took an early lead in the home half when Julian Santana led off with a double to center and scored on a Billy Perroz single to right to make it 1-0.

The Presidents answered right back in the top of the second, using a walk, sacrifice bunt and Joe Lehner RBI single to tie the game at 1-all. After Lehner's single, Dan Beistel walked, but SVC catcher Derek Held threw out Lehner at third base on an attempted steal to end the inning.

W&J threatened to take the lead in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with one out. Stephan was then summoned out of the bullpen and needed just one pitch to escape the jam, inducing a 4-3 double play to keep the game tied.

Both teams would manage a number of base runners over the next several innings, but Stephan and Litman continued to prohibit the go-ahead run. W&J's biggest threat came in the top of the eighth, as they loaded the bases with two outs, but Stephan ended the inning with a fly out to right. The Bearcats were unable to muster any offense over the eighth and the ninth, sending the game into extras.

In the top of the tenth, Stephan dodged another bullet when SVC freshman John Evans made a leaping catch at the fence to rob a home run and keep the game tied.

Stephan then pitched around a one-out walk in the top of the 11th to keep the game tied, setting up the late SVC heroics.

Perroz led SVC at the plate, going 2-for-2 with an RBI, while Santana, Evans, Zack VonStein, Zach Barberich and Casey Jones all found the hit column

Lehner went 2-for-3 to lead the Presidents.

Saint Vincent will now continue its busy week with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Waynesburg on Saturday, April 23. The two teams will then conclude the three-game series with a 9-inning, single affair at Bearcat Ballfield on Sunday.