Versailles, Ky. – The Midway University baseball team returned to the diamond on Saturday afternoon at Chandler Field as they hosted Brescia (Ky.) to begin their first-ever River States Conference series.
The Eagles (5-9, 2-0 RSC) needed late inning heroics in both games to defeat the pesky Bearcats (1-7, 0-2 RSC). Luther Bramblett's squad scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the first game 3-1, while they got a walk-off double from Haden Fox (Somerset, Ky.) in the bottom of the seventh in the second game to win 2-1 and sweep the doubleheader.
Game 1: Midway 3, Brescia 1
The Midway offense got off to a quick start in the opener as they scored a run on two hits, while taking advantage of an error in the first inning.
Hector Quinones (Barceloneta, PR) got it started after he reached on an error with one out. After stealing second, Danny Maguire (Dana Point, Calif.) ripped a single to score Quinones giving Midway the 1-0 lead.
After turning in four solid innings on the bump, the Brescia offense finally got to Chase Heslep (Bellingham, Wash.) in the top of the fifth. The Bearcats scored a run on a hit to tie the game up.
Heslep got some help from his offense in the bottom of the sixth when the Eagles plated two runs. Quinones got it started once again when he reached on an error and after a sac bunt from Maguire, Quinones stood on second.
Two batters later, Carlos Cespedes (Santo Domingo, D.R.) laced a single to left-center scoring Quinones. Cespedes then stole second and pinch-hitter, Barrett Croslin (Russellville, Ky.) ripped a single scoring Cespedes giving Midway the 3-1 lead.
The two run advantage was more than enough for closer, Jake McCoy (Mesa, Ariz.) who struck out a pair in the seventh in a 1-2-3 inning for his third save of the season. Heslep (2-1) picked up the win allowing one run on two hits while striking out six in six innings of work on the bump.
Game 2: Midway 2, Brescia 1
Just like the first game, the Eagle offense got off to a quick start with a run on one hit in the opening inning.
Josh Wenning (Palmyra, Ind.) singled to start the inning, then Bramblett put on the hit-and-run signal when Matthew Olson (Louisville, Ky.) grounded out advancing Wenning to third. The next batter, Hector Quinones grounded out to second to score Wenning from third.
After having a good chance to score in the second inning, the Bearcat offense broke through to left-hander, DJ Lewis (San Diego, Calif.) with a run on two hits in the top of the fourth to tie the game up at 1-1.
Lewis pitched into the fifth inning, but was pulled after allowing back-to-back singles to open the frame. Replacing Lewis in the fifth was right-hander, Derek Jones (Mt. Washington, Ky.).
Jones didn't get off to the start he was looking for after he hit the first batter he faced loading the bases, but the senior battled back and got three-straight strikeouts to end the inning to keep the game deadlocked at 1-1.
After Midway's offense went down in order in the sixth, Jones was back out on the mound in the seventh. Just like the inning prior, Jones struck out the side keeping the game tied. He got some help from his offense in the bottom half.
Carlos Cespedes started the rally with a one-out single. After an errant pickoff move from the pitcher, Cespedes moved to second representing the game-winning run with Haden Fox at the dish.
Prior to his at bat in the seventh, Fox was 0-for-2 at the plate, but he shook off his earlier struggles as he ripped a double to deep right-center field to easily score Cespedes from second giving Midway the 2-1 win.
Picking up his first win of the season was Jones. Jones (1-3) struck out six without allowing a hit in two innings of work on the bump. Lewis was tabbed with the no decision after allowing one run on five hits. The junior fanned six in five innings of work.
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