ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (Mar. 16, 2024) - Buena Vista's Jordan Mathewson singled to right center with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to score Jake Eddie from second, and the Beavers picked up an 11-10 comeback victory over Dominican University on Saturday in a game played at Augustana College (Ill.). BVU had fallen to the host Vikings in the opener, 14-4 (8 inn.).
BVU trailed 10-8 going to the bottom of the eighth inning before a 1-out RBI double from fifth-year Zack Beekmann scored Evan Taylor. Beekmann later advanced to third on a wild pitch before fifth-year Calvin Harris followed with a sacrifice fly that plated Beekmann and pulled the Beavers even at 10-10.
Harris entered the game in relief to begin the ninth inning, and after surrendering a leadoff single and sacrifice bunt, he recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning to set up the dramatic walk-off ending. Eddie singed with one out to get the rally started and then advanced to second on a wild pitch to set up Mathewson's game winner that came on a full count offering.
The Stars had led 5-0 after their half of the third before BVU cut into that lead with an RBI from Drew Taylor and a two-run single from Beekmann. Dominican got two of those runs back in the fourth to make it 7-3 only to have the Beavers storm back with three runs in the bottom half while adding two more in the fifth to lead for the first time at 8-7. The Stars regained the advantage with a pair of runs in the seventh before adding a run in the eight to make it 10-8.
Beekmann finished 4-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored while Mathewson was 4-for-6 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored. Both players doubled in the game, along with Eddie, who was 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored. Junior Evan Taylor also tallied three hits, two RBI and two runs scored. Overall, the Beavers chalked up 17 hits and stranded seven runners.
Harris earns the win in relief to improve to 2-1 on the year. Freshman Ean McDaniel got the start and pitched five innings, allowing seven runs and nine hits. Brayden Polzien allowed a pair of runs in his 1.1 innings of work before Johnny Vallinch was tagged for a run and three hits in 1.2.
After the Beavers scored a run in the top of the first inning of the opener with Augustana on a Harris RBI single, the Vikings responded and scored three runs in each of the first two innings to build an early 6-1 lead. BVU had cut the deficit to 7-4 after a Beekmann three-run home run in the fifth, but it was all Vikings from there. They went on to score two more in the seventh and five in the eighth to take the game by run-rule.
Augustana pounded out 16 hits in the contest, including five for extra-bases while the Bevers were held to only seven. Drew Taylor was 2-for-4 in the contest and was the only player for BVU with multiple hits. Beekmann's home run was the team's only extra-base knock.
Junior Morgan Smith (0-1) suffered his first loss of the year after allowing seven runs (all earned) on 11 hits over six innings pitched.
Buena Vista is now 10-4 overall and will close out the weekend trip with a single game on Sunday morning against Dominican. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.