MARIETTA, Ohio – North Carolina Wesleyan earned a 7-6 walk-off win over St. John Fisher Thursday (May 27) in its opening game of the NCAA Division III Marietta Regional Tournament.  

"Its been the tale of our season, getting behind and coming back and having a chance to win at the end.  They are a very tough team, the guy on the mound pitched extremely well, we just got lucky and got to him at the end," said N.C. Wesleyan Head Coach Greg Clifton.  "We have been in a lot of those games and the guys haven't flinched so far."

North Carolina Wesleyan got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Tyson Bass hit a solo home run to left center field, to lead 1-0.  

St. John Fisher responded in the top of the second inning with a solo home run of its own, off the bat of Luke Duffy.  The Cardinals took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning when Duffy singled through the right side to plate Brian Norsen, who doubled to get the inning started.

St. John Fisher tacked on three more runs in the top of the fourth when James Murphy walked to lead off the inning.  Noah Campanelli singled, and the next batter up Justin Graham hit a three run home run down the right field line, to put the Cardinals on top 5-1 in the top of the fourth inning.  

The Battling Bishops answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth when Alec Titmus hit a sacrifice fly to right center field to plate Brad Pennington, who walked to lead off the inning.  

After three scoreless innings, St. John Fisher tacked on a run when Graham doubled down the right field line, which drove in Kravitz who lead off the inning with a single.  The Cardinals took a 6-2 edge after the top of the eighth inning.

North Carolina Wesleyan answered in the bottom of the seventh when Nathan Hibbs led off the inning with a single. Drifton Padgett reached on a fielder's choice, and the next batter Bass doubled down the left field line.  Zach Lyon reached on an error to centerfield and both Padgett and Bass came around to score.  

The Battling Bishops continued to battle back in the seventh when Jackson Hobbs singled to right, to drive in Pennington.  North Carolina Wesleyan made the score 6-5 to enter the ninth inning.       

The Battling Bishops tied the game in the bottom of the ninth when Bass doubled down the right field line to drive in Alex Moskol who pitch ran.  North Carolina Wesleyan got the walk-off when Pennington was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Padgett scored the game winning run.  The Battling Bishops won the game 7-6.  

"I was just trying to hit the ball hard.  There was some situational stuff in my last at bat, I knew I couldn't hit the ball on the ground, I got jammed a little but luckily it worked out," said Bass.    

Wesleyan used three pitchers on the day, Kevin Williams got the start and pitched five innings, and allowed five runs on seven hits.  Drew Tubb pitched three innings of relief and allowed a run on four hits.  Daniel Thompson pitched the ninth inning and did not allow a hit.  Thompson notched his fifth win of the season.

St. John Fisher sent Anthony Brophy to the mound to start the game.  He worked seven and a third innings, and allowed five runs, three of which were earned, on six hits, and struck out seven.    

"It was a great game, and that's what you expect from NCAA Division III regional baseball," concluded St. John Fisher Head Coach Brandon Potter.