Leavenworth, Kan.— The Spires outlasted the Sterling College Warriors 6-5 in 12 innings Friday afternoon in Leavenworth, Kansas, winning on
Ian Maldonado's walk-off RBI single that brought home pinch runner
Keylan Overton. The Spires finished a back-and-forth game that lasted deep into extra innings, answering multiple Sterling rallies before ending it in the bottom of the 12th.
The game was scoreless through the first two frames before USM broke through in the third. Freshman
Spencer Baehman helped start the rally with a single, and the Spires turned that chance into a 2-0 lead. The Warriors pulled even in the fifth when Lang lined a two-run single to right, part of a 3-for-6 day with two RBIs for the visitors. USM responded in the sixth, moving back in front 3-2 when
Sergio Fierro reached on an RBI fielder's choice that scored Maldonado.
Sterling answered again in the seventh. The Warriors scored twice to take a 4-3 lead, with Huerta Cardenas delivering a run-scoring single to left-center as part of the inning. Saint Mary did not let the deficit hold. In the ninth,
Tannen Buss pulled through with a run-scoring single to tie the game at 4-4 and force extras.
The 10th inning brought another exchange. SC's Garcia tripled to left in the top half and later scored on an error to give Sterling a 5-4 edge. Baehman again answered in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single to right-center, tying the score at 5-5. Baehman finished with two hits, one RBI and one run, while Maldonado added two hits, including a double and the thrilling game-winner.
Both pitching staffs carried heavy workloads in the extended game. Sterling starter Phillips went six innings and allowed three earned runs while striking out three on 104 pitches.
Moises Soriano for the Spires also worked six innings for the home squad. Sterling finished with 10 hits to USM's nine.
Garcia paced Sterling with three hits, a triple and two runs scored, while Lang drove in two. The Spires, however, made the final swing count. After trading runs and momentum for much of the afternoon, USM finally ended it in the 12th when Maldonado's single produced the decisive run in a 6-5 walk-off victory.
USM will continue the series against the Warriors tomorrow Saturday, March 28
th with game one slated for 1:00 p.m.
