Despite losing an early five-run lead, the Buena Vista baseball team found a way to rally late once again, as the Beavers scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to hang on and win its fifth one-run game of the year, 8-7, over Williams College (MA) on Wednesday afternoon.
With the bases empty and one out in the first, BVU strung together a string of four consecutive singles, including RBI base knocks from junior Jeremy Lambert (Alta, Iowa/Alta) and freshman Brandon Wessels (Palmer, Iowa/Manson NW Webster). After a fly-out put two outs on the board, the next three batters reached safely, including an RBI single from senior Ryan Scheetz (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) and a run-scoring double from junior Nick Schlect (Omaha, Neb./Skutt) to make it 5-0.
Williams rallied back with three runs in both the third and fourth innings to gain its first lead of the day (6-5).
The lead was short-lived, however, as Wessels reached on an error with two outs and the bases loaded to tie the game up at 6-6.
The Ephs moved back in front at 7-6 with a single run in the sixth, but BVU who has now played seven one-run games this season, got another RBI single from Schlecht and a sacrifice fly from junior Weston Foxx (Elkhorn, Iowa/Elkhorn) in the seventh to give the Beavers the lead back at 8-7.
Williams did threaten to tie the game up or even take the lead in the eighth by putting runners on second and third with two outs, but junior Cam Beatty (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) came on in relief and recorded a strikeout to end the frame and also worked around a lead-off walk in the ninth for his first save of the year.
Plath, Lambert, Jesse Munsterman (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter), Scheetz and Schlecht all had two hits for BVU, which out-hit the Ephs, 13-10. The Beavers only struck out once in the contest, while Williams fanned nine times.
Senior Reggie Kock (Breda, Iowa/Ar-We-Va) got the start on the hill, and pitched the first five innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, while striking out five, but walking six.
Fellow senior Tyler Lefeber (Harlan, Iowa/Harlan) came on in relief in the sixth and worked 2.2 innings, surrendering just one run on three hits, while striking out two and walking two before giving way to Beatty.
Buena Vista is 5-2 in those one-run games this season and 6-4 overall. The team has Thursday off before its scheduled to begin Iowa Conference play, while also opening its home schedule on Friday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00pm.