Nov. 14, 2017
THE FLATS – After starting the game on Sunday and waiting a full 50 hours to resume play in the top of the fourth, the Gold Team was able to get a three-run double off the bat of sophomore Chase Murray in the top of the eighth to retake the lead en route to a 9-7 win over the White Team on Tuesday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The win knots the series up at 1-1 and puts the series bragging rights squarely on a decisive Game 3 on Friday.
In the win, Murray (1-for-3, 2B, three RBIs) and freshman Michael Guldberg (1-for-4, 2B, three RBIs, run) each had a double and three RBIs for the Gold Team, while senior Patrick Wiseman (2-for-5, RBI, run) and sophomore Kyle McCann (2-for-4, RBI, run) also both drove in a run.
For the White Team offensively, freshman Cole Neuber (3-for-5, 2B, two RBIs, run), sophomore Brenton Sanders (1-for-5, 2B, two RBIs, run) and second-year Jacket Paxton Rigby (1-for-4, RBI) combined to drive in five of the seven runs in the losing effort.
Out of the bullpen, senior Jared Datoc (1-0) earned the win, allowing three runs on three hits, while striking out two over 2.0 innings of work, while fellow righty Robert Winborne (1) recorded the save with a scoreless eighth and ninth.
The loss went to freshmen hurler Jake Brace (0-1), as he was one of four pitchers to pitch for the White Team out of the bullpen in the contest.
With the Gold Team holding a 6-0 lead from Sunday’s play heading into Tuesday’s action, which began in the top of the fourth, the White Team broke through in a big way in the bottom of the sixth and seventh, scoring seven runs over the two innings to take a 7-6 lead into the eighth.
Back-to-back walks started the White Team’s sixth inning, before Neuber singled to left field to load the bases with no outs. Sanders then hit a double to right field which bounced over the wall to score two and put the home team on the scoreboard.
The inning continued with an RBI ground out to the right side by Rigby and a Gold Team fielding error to put the White Team down just two at 6-4.
In the seventh, Carter Hall led off the inning with a double down the left field line for the White Team, advanced to third on a Gold Team error and then subsequently scored on another fielding error to put the home team within one at 6-5. With two on and no outs, Neuber came through once again, this time doubling down the left field line to plate two and put the White Team on top at 7-6.
However, it did not take long for the Gold Team to retake the lead, as Wiseman led off the top half of the eighth inning with a single and then was moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt. A single by McCann and a base-on-balls to Xzavion Curry loaded the bases for Murray who lined a double to the right center field gap to clear the bases and give the visitors the lead back at 9-7.
Winborne pitched around three hits and out of trouble in the bottom of the eighth with the help of catcher Cameron Turley who threw out a would be base stealer for out number two in the inning and Guldberg picking up an outfield assist by throwing out a runner trying to advance from first to third on a single to left to end the frame.
In the ninth, Winborne forced a 6-3 double play to end the game and secure the 9-7 win for the Gold Team.
The decisive game three of the three-game series is set for Friday, Nov. 17, at 4 p.m. ET.
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