Walk-Off Homer Lifts Portland Over Concordia
PORTLAND, Ore. – Trailing 5-2 in the sixth, Portland scored the game’s final five runs including a two-run walk-off homer by Danny Meier to defeat Concordia 7-5 in non-conference baseball action at Joe Etzel Field.
In the top of the third, Concordia scrapped together two runs through singles by Brad Himes and Sean Strachan and a sacrifice bunt by James Mannion to set up a groundout RBI by Roberto Reyes. With two outs and Strachan on third, a Pilot error in a Derek Shigano at bat allowed the second run to score.
On the mound for the Cavs, Brett Hawley followed Zac Manor with two run-free innings to open the game. The combo combined for three strikeouts and three hits while shutting out Portland through four innings.
The Pilots managed to tie the game in the fifth with a sacrifice fly by Cullen and a RBI double by Henricks off Cavalier pitcher Jason Grisham.
In instant retaliation, the Cavs fired back with three runs in the top of the sixth, including a lead-off shot over the left-field fence by Jimmy Rudig, his second home run of the season. With Casey McLeod on second and Brennan Ingram on first, CU pulled off a double steal to set up a two-run double down the left-field line by Himes, giving Concordia a 5-2 lead.
In the bottom half of the sixth, Portland loaded the bases via a pair of singles and a walk. Coming into pitch without the luxury of a recorded out, Greg Simmons managed a pair of infield pop-ups, but couldn’t finish a clean inning when a Henricks single to center ushered in two Pilot runs. Simmons would end the inning with a fly to left field by the next batter to stop the attack.
What turned out to be the play of the game occurred in the top of the seventh inning with CU holding a 5-4 lead. With the bases loaded and no outs, Portland reliever Peter Beringhaus induced an inning-ending triple play to get out of the jam. The play began when Neil Barrett sent a fly ball to straight-away left field, where Kraus made an easy catch. Kraus then threw the ball to the infield as Sean Turner tagged up at third and appeared to score.
Kraus’ throw was cut off by third baseman Kevin Armijo, who threw it to shortstop C.J. Cullen at third base. Cullen then tagged out Ryan Sussenguth for the second out. Sussenguth had tagged at second on the play and tried to advance to third.
Just when it appeared the play was over, Portland catcher Rocky Gale alertly tossed the ball to third, claiming that Turner had left third base too early. The umpires agreed as the run was erased and Portland had a triple play.
Portland managed a single run in the home half of the seventh to tie the game at 5-5 and the Cavs threatened again in the top of the ninth. With Josh Mandin on second, Turner blooped a single over third base. With Mandin rounding third, Cullen tracked down the ball, turned and fired home to catcher Eric Brown who tagged Mandin out while blocking the plate.
Entering the game as the team’s sixth pitcher in the ninth, Ross Conway quickly got two outs on the board with a tandem of innocent fly balls, but saw the inning kept alive by a Kraus single, making way for the walk-off home run by Meier to end the game.
Junior Matthew Lange (2-1) retired the only batter he faced in the top of the ninth to pick up his second win of the year. Portland (3-2) used nine pitchers on the day.
With the loss, Concordia dropped to 3-4 on the year and will next take the field at home against Western Oregon on Saturday. Opening pitch is scheduled for noon at The Yard.