Box Score PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Third baseman Juan Perdomo delivered a two-out, bases loaded single in the bottom of the ninth to give Montclair State University a 5-4 win over No. 12-ranked Marietta College Monday (March 10) afternoon at the Snowbird Classic.
The sacrifice bunt proved to be the difference in the game as Montclair State (2-3 overall) executed the fundamental skill in the ninth and Marietta (4-1 overall) did not.
With the score tied at four heading into the final inning, the Pioneers' first two hitters reached base safely. However, Marietta popped up the sacrifice bunt attempt and ended up getting no runs in the top half of the inning.
Redhawk shortstop Cody Pace led off the bottom of the ninth with a double to left-center. First baseman Christopher Reynolds followed with a sac bunt moving Pace to third. The Pioneers opted to intentionally walk the next two hitters to set up the double play.
Freshman Jim Luyster (0-1), making his first career appearance for the Pioneers, struck out Anderson Rosa and was an out away from working out of the inning. Perdomo stepped the played and ripped a single through the left side of the infield scoring Pace with the winning run.
Junior first baseman Mitch Geer had another big at the plate for the Etta Express. Geers went a perfect 5-for-5 with a double, triple, RBI and a stolen base. He is now 7-for-7 stealing bases this season.
Marietta jumped on top in the first inning when
Dylan Gracia (Middletown, R.I./Middletown) led off with a double and later scored on an RBI single from designated hitter
Josh Ungerbuehler (Cincinnati/Roger Bacon). Ungerbuehler finished the day 2-for-5.
Starting pitcher Mike Finaln was touched up for two runs in bottom of the second inning but then setteled won and blanked the Redhawks over the next three innings. Finlan threw 5.0 innings and gave up two runs, one earned, on seven base hits. He walked one and struck out two.
Sophomore transfer
Forrest Kirsch (Liberty, N.Y./Liberty) tossed 1.1 innings and allowed two runs on three hits before giving way to Luyster. Luyster took the loss after working 2.1 innings and surrendering one run on three hits. He walked three and struck out three.
The Pioneers tied the game at two with a run in the third and then retook the lead in the seventh with two runs. Catcher
Chris Winpigler (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) drove in the run in the third, while Geers picked up his RBI in the seventh.
Montclair plated two runs in the home half of the seventh inning to even the game at 4-4. Reynolds delivered the big hit driving in both runs with a single up the middle.
John Silvestri (1-0) tossed 2.2 innings of shutout relief to get the win. He gave up four hits and struck out two. Starter Jonathan Torregroza threw 6.0 innings and gave up two runs on nine hits.
Marietta has a rematch with the College of Wooster Tuesday (March 11) at 11:00 a.m. Fans can follow the Etta Express all season long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter.
