For immediate release – 4/20/2014 - #333
Late Inning Magic Carries Hornets into ODAC Tournament
LYNCHBURG, VA – Late inning magic carried the Lynchburg College baseball team to an 8-7 victory over Roanoke College Sunday afternoon in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action. The win clinches a bid into the ODAC baseball tournament for the Hornets.
Lynchburg trailed 7-6 heading into the ninth inning when Pat Harris was called upon to pinch hit. The junior singled through the right side before being lifted for pinch runner, Ryan Katona. A Lincoln Evans sacrifice bunt moved Katona into scoring position for Rob Tomasulo with an opportunity to tie the contest. Tomasulo blooped a ball over the outstretched hand of the leaping Cam Cassady at shortstop as Katona raced home.
Dustin Arrowood followed with a single to put runners on the corners, leaving it up to Wil Parsons.
The junior fell behind 0-2 against Roanoke ace Austin Gregory before fouling off six pitches and taking three balls to work the count full. On the 12th pitch of the at bat, Parsons lined a ball out to right-center field to score Tomasulo and advance the Hornets to the ODAC Tournament for the first time since winning it all in 2012.
The ninth inning drama would not have been possible if not for an LC two-out rally in the seventh. Trailing 5-0 with one out to work with, Andrew Gauvain doubled before Joe Tomasulo and KC Caldwell walked to load the bases. The Maroons turned to Gregory out of the bullpen who allowed a double down the right-field line by Evans to score two. It was just the fourth Hornet hit of the day.
Joe Rogers followed Evans by lining a single into center field to plate two more runs, making the score 5-4. Rob Tomasulo then doubled over the centerfielder's head to score Rogers as the tying run. Arrowood poked one to left as Tomasulo raced home for LC's first lead, all before Roanoke to collect the final out.
Jacob Clifton had three hits for Roanoke (16-18/7-13) while Kevin Oakey drove in three runs. Jacob McMillan surrendered just three hits in 6 2/3 innings, but did allow six Hornets to reach via the free pass.
Rob Tomasulo and Arrowood combined to go 5-for-10 on the day with two runs scored and three RBI.
The Hornets end the regular season with a 23-11 overall mark, and will enter the 2014 ODAC Tournament as the #5 seed. LC will face off against the #2 seed Randolph-Macon College Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Lynchburg City Stadium. Visit the ODAC Tournament webpage here: http://www.odaconline.com/tournament/spring/baseball/index