Pinchrunners Jordan Argabright and Cody Whitley scored on a Ryan Garza sacrifice bunt with one out in the bottom of the eighth to lead the LeTourneau University baseball team to a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Illinois Wesleyan in the McMinnville Regional on Thursday.
The YellowJackets (33-14) entered the eighth inning behind 2-1 when Dillon Yates and David Perkins started the inning with back-to-back singles. Then, LeTourneau head coach Robin Harriss went to the bench and called on Argabright and Whitley – who is a pitcher – to run.
An error by IWU pitcher John Munyon on a pickoff attempt moved Argabright and Whitley to third and second, respectively. Then, after a strikeout, Garza laid down a sacrifice bunt that which reliever Louis Acklin picked up. The throw by Acklin to first baseman Nick Hahn caused a collision at the bag where Argabright and a hustling Whitley scored from second for the game-winning run.
LeTourneau starter Curt Copeland allowed a single to start the ninth, then after a sacrifice bunt moved the tying run to second. With one out, Copeland got a ground ball and went to third to get the lead runner.
The Titans (24-20) scored twice on three-consecutive hits in the first inning on LeTourneau starter Curt Copeland. One of the three hits was by Jon Frericks, who went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI. IWU starter John Munyon picked up the loss after pitching 7.1 innings, allowing eight hits and three runs – one earned to fall to 3-2.
LeTourneau got on the board in the sixth to cut the deficit to 2-1. Dillon Yates started the inning with a single up the middle. Then, with one out, Caleb Pritchett reached on an error and advanced Yates to second. Next, Garza picked up his first of three RBI with a single to left center to score Yates from second.