BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Earlham College baseball team lost the opening game of the weekend series at Bluffton University in a thrilling 12 innings on Friday evening.
The Quakers fell to 14-8 (4-3 HCAC) while the Beavers improved to 12-8 (6-1 HCAC).
Dillon Fischer delivered a quality start on the mound with 6.1 shutout innings. The junior allowed just one hit and had 10 strikeouts, with 122 pitches on the day.
Jacob Renner entered the game tied in the bottom of the ninth inning and threw 2.2 innings with two earned runs.
Batting leadoff, freshman
Sean Jeffries had three hits with one double and one RBI.
Nathan Lancianese had two hits on the day, including a solo home run to start the 11th inning.
Michael Medley recorded two knocks, with one double and an RBI.
The Quakers took the lead in the top of the third inning with a sacrifice fly from
Max Fries after a leadoff double from Jeffries. Medley then added another run with an RBI-single to center field.
After allowing just one hit in the opening seven innings, the Quakers gave up a two-RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning.
With two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth inning,
Carter Vilevac saved the Earlham squad with a diving catch on a line-drive ball in left field for the final out of regulation.
A sacrifice bunt attempt by
Drew Sale in the top of the 10th inning led to a fielding error from Bluffton, which scored
Ian Bullis to give EC the advantage in extra innings. After stranding two runners on base, Bluffton began the bottom of the frame with a solo homer.
Not to be outdone, Lancianese recorded his own solo homer to left field to lead off the 11th inning. The Beavers responded with another solo homer in the bottom of the frame.
Jeffries recorded an RBI single in the top of the 12th inning with an outfield-hit to score
Cameron Powell.
Noah Collins then brought Jeffries home with a double to left field later in the inning.
In the bottom of the 12th, Bluffton scored on an RBI single to cut the lead to one. With two runners in scoring position, the Beavers hit a two-run double for the walk-off win.
The Quakers will get a quick shot at redemption with a doubleheader against Bluffton tomorrow starting at noon.
