Bisons win 14-Inning marathon on Cam Pruitt’s walk-off single, punch ticket to ASUN Championship game
Lipscomb baseball outlasted North Alabama baseball 4-3 in 14 innings Friday night to advance to the ASUN Championship Finals game. Following a rain delay that pushed first pitch to 7:10 p.m. at Conrad Park’s Melching Field, they fought until 1:39 a.m. against the Lions. Junior infielder Cam Pruitt delivered the game-winning hit with a walk-off RBI single to right-center field in the bottom of the 14th.
Lipscomb’s bullpen was the difference, combining for 12 scoreless innings after the Bisons fell behind early.
North Alabama struck first in the top of the second inning, scoring three runs on five hits against Lipscomb senior starter Jace Trautner. Junior infielder Jackson Westmoreland drove in a run with a single, and redshirt sophomore infielder Petey Craska added a sacrifice fly.
Lipscomb answered in the bottom of the inning. Graduate infielder Kai Holm was hit by a pitch, advanced on an error and moved to third on a single by senior infielder Damion Kenealy Jr.. Freshman infielder Cole Pippenger drove in Holm with a sacrifice fly to center field to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Freshman pitcher Jackson Lee relieved Trautner and settled the game down for the Bisons. Lee allowed one hit over five scoreless innings.
Lipscomb tied the game in the seventh. Junior utility player Hutson Miles and senior utility player Aaron Stelogeannis drew consecutive walks, and Pruitt loaded the bases with another walk. Junior outfielder Jordan Thomas then reached on a fielder’s choice to second base, driving in Miles. A throwing error by North Alabama on the play allowed Stelogeannis to score from second and tie the game at 3-3.
Both teams had late chances but could not break through. Lipscomb left the bases loaded in the ninth and 11th innings, while graduate pitcher Kaleb Kantola worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 13th by inducing a fielder’s choice.
Junior pitcher Mack Mabrey entered in the 14th and kept North Alabama off the board, recording a double play and a strikeout.
In the bottom of the inning, Miles singled to center field with one out and stole second. Stelogeannis walked before Pruitt lined a single to right-center, bringing Miles in for the winning run.
With the victory, Lipscomb advanced to the ASUN Championship Finals game. The Bisons faced the winner of the loser’s bracket semifinal between North Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast at Melching Field, winning the ASUN championship. Read about the victory here.
Featured image courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics.
