FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS – The UT Tyler baseball program fell to UAFS in game one of the four game set on Friday afternoon as the Lions were able to hit a walk-off two run home run in the bottom of the tenth inning to fight off the Patriot comeback once and for all.
UT Tyler started out the top half of the first inning with a pair of runs as they took the early lead in their first game back from a bye week. After
Riley Lambert and
Tommy van de Sanden reached base to begin the game,
Ethan Bedgood came up with an RBI single to score Lambert. That moved van de Sanden over to third, who then scored off of a
Jordan Gochenour sacrifice fly to center field.
Dylan Blomquist started the game for the Patriots, but unfortunately did not last long as the Lions were able to come up with four quick hits and a walk to run him from the game. A wild pitch scored the first run, and then two singles scored two additional runs to make it 3-2.
That brought in
Easton Malin, who got the first out of the inning on a sacrifice bunt, but the Lions tacked on another single to left center field to score two more runs and make it 5-2.
In the second inning, the Patriots went down in order, and that brought up Malin again to see if he could cool off the UAFS bats. After inducing a leadoff flyout, the next hitter reached base on an error and then was followed by a walk. However, Malin buckled in and sat the next two hitters down with a flyout and a strikeout to end the threat.
The Patriots went down in order again in the third, but this time the Lions were able to capitalize and extend their lead. After two consecutive hit by pitches and an infield single, the fourth hitter of the inning walked, and that brought home a run. That walk brought in
Garrett Arredondo from the bullpen, and he got a strikeout to start his tenure on the mound. Another walk scored another run, but a ground ball double play ended the inning before the Lions could score again.
In the fourth inning the Patriots managed to cut into the lead even if it was just one run. Bedgood and Gochenour reached by walk and hit by pitch, and a
Lukas Polanco flyout moved Bedgood to third. Bedgood then scored on a passed ball, and the Patriots were back on the board and within four runs.
With Arredondo in a groove on the mound, the Patriots went back to work getting themselves back in the game.
Tanner Roach led off the fifth with a double to left center, and was followed by Lambert being hit by a pitch. Van de Sanden moved them up with a sacrifice bunt, and Bedgood connected again on a single to left field to drive both runners home.
After Gochenour reached on another hit by pitch, Polanco walked to load the bases. Another passed ball scored Bedgood, and UT Tyler had cut the lead to just one.
From the sixth through the eighth innings, the game turned into a pitchers duel as the two programs combined for just three hits over the three innings. Interestingly enough, the two teams also combined for only one strikeout between them as the defenses looked strong in the field.
In the top half of the ninth, the Patriots needed one last gasp to tie the game and at least get it to the bottom half of the ninth.
Kyle McShaffry stepped to the plate and came up clutch. He delivered his fourth home run of the season with a deep shot to right field to tie the game up at seven each.
In the bottom of the ninth,
Mitchell Lee came on to help extend the game in replacement of a fine job from Arredondo. After a groundout, the next hitter reached on a single and then moved to third on two consecutive wild pitches. With the game winning run on third, Lee dug deep and struck out the next two hitters to move the game to the tenth.
In extra innings, the Patriots went down in order with a lineout, a strikeout, and another lineout. That brought up the Lions with another chance to end the game. After a flyout to center field, the next hitter reached base on a single. Lee struck out the next hitter, and brought it down to the final at bat of the inning. On a 1-1 count, Hunter Church drove a ball over the right field fence to score the winning two runs and take game one of the series.
Two hitters had multi-hit games for the Patriots.
Kyle McShaffry went 2-for-5 with one run and one RBI off of the big game tying home run in the ninth.
Ethan Bedgood went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI's will also adding in a walk.
Garrett Arredondo had a strong outing in relief by going six full innings and giving up just one hit while striking out five hitters and walking just one.
UT Tyler will get their chance to bounce back tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. as they take on the Lions in a doubleheader. Game two of the doubleheader will begin approximately 35 minutes after the conclusion of game one.
