The University of Akron Athletics
Gold Extends Lead With 9-8 Extra-Inning Victory
October 10 | Baseball
The Blue Team forced extra innings with four runs in the bottom
of the seventh only to fall 9-8 to the Gold Team in the second game
of the Blue and Gold Fall World Series Tuesday afternoon at Lee
Jackson Field.
A one-out single by sophomore Ryan Frazee (Gahanna,
Ohio/Westerville North) scored sophomore Ryne Romick (Hannibal,
Ohio/Hannibal River) to snap an 8-all tie in the top of the eighth
inning. The base hit made a winner out of freshman reliever
Todd Flemming (Mogadore, Ohio/Lake), who relieved
starter Garrett Knoll (Amherst,
Ohio/Amherst Steele) in the sixth. The loss was charged to freshman
Jake Plata (Parma, Ohio/Padua Franciscan), who
enjoyed a big day at the plate for the Blue Team with three hits,
two RBI and three runs scored.
Freshman Brian Kordal (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg)
doubled three times and drove in a pair while fellow freshman
John Turk (Kirtland, Ohio/Kirtland) drove in three
to fuel the Gold attack. Senior Charlie Lenhard (Columbus,
Ohio/Upper Arlington) hit the first home run of the series, a
two-run shot in the fourth that capped off a three-run inning for
the Blue Team.
The Gold squad scored an unearned run in the top of the second
when Kordal hit a double to deep center field and crossed the plate
on a pair of fielding errors. Back-to-back doubles by Kordel and
Turk to lead off the fourth made it 2-0 before sophomore
Brett Savage (Massillon,
Ohio/Perry) capped off the big inning with a two-run double that
made it 4-0.
Lenhard's blast followed a lead-off triple by sophomore
Phil Bednar (Monroe Falls, Ohio/ Ball State) and
an RBI-single by Plata and closed the gap to 4-3. But the Gold
answered with two runs in the fifth thanks to a bases-loaded single
from Turk and two more in the sixth after a double by Kordal to
make it 8-3.
A run-scoring single by junior
Vince Chiera (Akron,
Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) in the sixth cut the Gold's lead to 8-4 and set
up a dramatic seventh-inning rally. The Blue Team loaded the bases
on three walks with one out in the seventh inning; the final
scheduled inning of the day. Consecutive wild pitches cut the lead
to 8-6 and a single to right field off the bat of Plata made it a
one-run contest. After a fly out to right, Chiera tied the game
with a double down the left-field line.
After Frazee's single broke the tie, Fleming finished the game for
the Gold Team, which took the opener 2-1 on Monday, to give them a
2-0 advantage in the best-of-five, intrasquad series. The two teams
will square off again Wednesday starting at 3 p.m. at Lee Jackson
Field.
Each game is scheduled for seven innings. The victor of the series
will be treated to steaks, while the losing team will be fed hot
dogs. Family, friends and fans are encouraged to attend this free
event.
Blue and Gold Fall World Series
Schedule/Results:
Game One, Gold 2, Blue 1
Game Two, Gold 9, Blue 8 (8 inn.)
Game Three, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 3 p.m.
Game Four (if necessary), Thursday, Oct.
12, 3 p.m.
Game Five (if necessary), Friday, Oct.
13, 3 p.m.
All games played at Lee Jackson Field.
Gold leads series 2-0.
