The Carthage College baseball team (2-1) lost to Wabash College (3-1), 8-7 in 10 innings, on Sunday, March 8 at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz. The Wabash game was the second-of-eight contests for the Red Men at this year's Tucson Invitational.
Wabash took a 3-0 lead in the first inning off Carthage starting pitcher Dante Guarascio, the big blow being a two-run homer run by Sean Smith. The Red Men cut the lead to 3-1 in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Bryce Prybylinski. Carthage tied the game, 3-3, in the second on a fielder's choice-RBI by Colton Klein and an RBI-single by Cody Tostrud.
The Little Giants re-gained the lead, 5-3, in the third on a two-run triple by Cole Vasslio and went up, 7-3, in the fourth on a two-run double by Smith. A four-run seventh inning for Carthage tied the game, 7-7. Bryce Prybylinski hit a bases-loaded, two-run double in the frame, followed by an RBI-single by Austin Prybylinski and a fielder's choice-RBI off the bat of Brandon Hanik.
The score remained tied until the top of the 10th inning. Red Men relief pitcher Aaron Steinhoff hit the first batter he faced and walked the next. Ben Reitz took over and got a ground-ball out before walking a batter to load the bases. Reitz was then called for balk that scored Josh Weidenbenner from third with the go-ahead run. The Red Men went down in order in the bottom of the inning, giving the Little Giants an 8-7 decision.
Sean Smith (2-0), the third-of-four Wabash pitcher, picked up the win despite surrendering four runs on three hits and two walks. Zach Moffett picked up his second save with a clean 10th inning. Dante Guarascio worked four innings for Carthage and gave up seven runs on 10 hits and three walks. Kyle McKinnon pitched the next five innings before Steinhoff took over in the final frame.
Cody Tostrud went three-for-five for the Red Men with a pair of runs scored, and Bryce Prybylinski went two-for-four with a double and three RB
Carthage takes on Marian University (Wis., 1-3) on Monday at 12:30 p.m., MST.