Bisons march back from 6-run deficit to win in extras

Lipscomb baseball had their first midweek game of the season, against Evansville, on February 18. It was a rollercoaster that eventually ended on a high, as the Bisons staged a thrilling comeback in the bottom of the ninth, to win 11-10 in overtime.

The Bisons started off strong, leading the Aces 3-1 by the end of the second inning. Energy was high in the dugout as the Bisons held their lead until the sixth inning. Redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Tanner Lyne started for the Bisons and had two 1-2-3 innings, facing off against just three batters in the third and fourth innings.

The Aces managed to rally in the sixth inning, bringing home two runs off of a home run batted in by redshirt junior infielder Kevin McCormick. From there, they continued to grow their lead, despite attempts by the Bisons to shut them out.

By the time the Bisons reached the bottom of the ninth inning, they were trailing the Aces, 3-9. The mood in the stands was hushed, as many in attendance expected Evansville to leave with the win. But that was not to be the case.

Freshman infielder Brady Miller started off the Bisons’ momentum, walking to first at the start of the inning. Senior infielder Kai Holm came in to pinch hit and struck out swinging, but the Bisons didn’t lose hope.

Junior utility player Aaron Stelogeannis walked, advancing Miller to second. Then graduate student outfielder and catcher Jake Berg walked, loading the bases. The Aces decided to switch out senior right-handed pitcher Drew Fieger for redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Andrew Dusablon in hopes that it would help them close the inning. But it was not to be.

Dusablon immediately gave up a single, off the bat of redshirt senior infielder Parks Bouck. This brought Miller home and advanced the others. Then Dusablon walked junior outfielder Keaton Mahan, bringing Stelogeannis home.

Trying to lessen the damages, the Aces brought redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Parker MacCauley to the mound. For just a moment, it looked like the Aces had solved the problem, as Bisons’ redshirt senior infielder David Coppedge flied out to center field. But the respite lasted just one at-bat, as sophomore outfielder Jacob Tobias stepped up to the plate with Mahan and Bouck on base.

Tobias slammed the ball over the right field fence, and the dugout exploded. Every single player jumped and yelled, rushing out of the dugout to meet Tobias as he rounded the bases. With a loud yell, the entire team jumped as one in celebration when Tobias ran off of home base to join them.

Having pulled off a six-run comeback, the Bisons finished out the ninth inning tied 9-9 with the Aces. The game went into overtime, and the Bisons brought redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Kaleb Kantola to the mound. Kantola closed out the top of the tenth allowing zero runs, but so did the Aces’ new pitcher, freshman right-hander Jack Clevidence.

Graduate student right-handed pitcher Bryce Houghton replaced Kantola on the mound in the top of the 11th inning. He pitched two straight 1-2-3 innings, keeping the Aces from scoring anything in both the 11th and the 12th. Clevidence remained unyielding, however, keeping the Bisons stuck at nine runs.

In the top of the thirteenth inning, junior right-handed pitcher Cole O’Brien stepped to the mound. He allowed one run by the Aces, taking the score to 9-10. With the close of the inning half, the Bisons had one chance to win the game.

Coming into the bottom of the thirteenth inning, the energy was incredibly high. The resounding cry from the team was, “let’s win a ball game!” Stelogeannis started the inning off by reaching first base on an error, then advancing to second on a passed ball.

Berg walked, then Bouck bunted, and though he was out, he advanced Berg to second and Stelogeannis to third. Then Mahan walked, loading the bases for the Bisons.

With the bases loaded, Coppedge came up to bat. The Bisons were at one out on the board, and desperately needed to score. If they brought in two runs, the Bisons would win. Only one, and if the inning half closed, play would continue in the feels-like 21°F temperature that was rapidly continuing to drop. If they couldn’t bring in any runs, the game would go to the Aces.

Neither dugout was silent, both teams yelling as loudly as they could at their teammates, encouraging them on. Everyone in the audience held their breath as Coppedge went to 1-2, on the edge of striking out. It was with two strikes on the count that Coppedge hit the ball to left field, getting it to the ground and taking off for first base.

Mahan was out at second base as he ran from first, but he wasn’t the Aces’ problem. Their problems were Stelogeannis and Berg, streaking for home. Stelogeannis crossed home plate as the Aces threw toward first in an attempt to get Coppedge out. It was unsuccessful, which meant if the Aces wanted to close the inning, they would have to get Berg out at home.

Berg poured on the speed down the third base line as McCormick whirled to throw to home from first. Sliding into home mere milliseconds before the ball, Berg brought home the win for the Bisons.

This time, there was no holding the team to merely waiting outside the dugout fence to welcome Coppedge to home plate, as they had with Tobias. The Bisons flooded the field, racing out to first amidst shouts and yells. They swarmed Coppedge, racing him out to outfield in a flood of excitement. There, they doused him with gatorade and water from their water bottles, yanking his jersey off and parading back to the dugout with it held up as a flag.

The Bisons started the game with the lead, and though they lost it, they refused to give up hope. They mounted a massive comeback in the ninth inning to tie the game and give them a shot at the win. With strong performances from many players, they held the Aces to nine runs until the thirteenth inning. Though the Aces managed to bring in one run, the Bisons were not deterred.

In an interview before the start of the season, Coppedge remarked that he was really “looking forward to just having fun, being out on the ball field with my teammates, coaches everyday.” In the Bisons’ first midweek game, Coppedge did more than have fun – he brought home the win for the Bisons.

The Bisons’ next game will be on February 21 at 3pm, weather permitting, starting off a weekend series against West Virginia.