MIDWAY, Ky. -- After opening the season with 14 non-conference games, the Midway baseball team opened River States Conference play on Friday (March 4) when they hosted Rio Grande (Ohio) for the opener of a three-game series at Tracy Farmer – Don Ball Stadium.

After trailing for the entire game, the RedStorm forged ahead and took a 5-3 lead after scoring three runs in the top of the ninth. Midway answered with three runs of their own in the bottom half getting a walk-off single by Preston Howard to seal the 6-5 victory.

With the win, Luther Bramblett's squad improves to 3-12 on the year, while they begin league play with a win as well. The RedStorm, meanwhile, drop to 8-12 overall and 0-1 in RSC play following the loss.

Following a scoreless first, the Eagles took an early 1-0 lead after scoring a run in the second on an RBI single by Skyler Lucas (Elizabethtown, Ky.). Lucas then pushed Midway's lead to 3-0 after adding a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth.

The 3-0 lead looked as though it was going to be more than enough for Blake Kincaid (Columbia, Tenn.) who was dealing on the bump. Kincaid ran into trouble in the fourth when he had runners at first and second with nobody out, but he responded and struck out the next three batters to end the threat.

The RedStorm finally got to Kincaid in the seventh when they scored a pair of runs on three hits along with a Midway error. Midway's defensive miscues came back to haunt them again in the ninth when they gave up three unearned runs as Rio took a 5-3 lead.

Grant Hotchkiss (Richmond, Ky.) opened the ninth inning with a hit by pitch, while Max Hill (Stockholm, Sweden) walked to put runners at first and second. Ryan Davis (Paris, Ky.) then made it a one run ballgame with an RBI single up the middle making the score 5-4.

Following a pitching change, Josh Halterman (Lexington, Ky.) stepped to the dish and delivered a game-tying RBI double deep down the left field line as runners were now at second and third with no outs.

Cameron Nichols (Owensboro, Ky.) was then intentionally walked to load the bases before Preston Howard stepped in the box with one out. The freshman from Nicholasville, Ky. came through and delivered an RBI single to right-center field lifting Midway to the 6-5 walk-off win.

Kincaid was ultimately dealt the no decision as he pitched six innings allowing two runs – one earned – on six hits. He also fanned seven of the 25 batters that he faced.

Josh Plasencia (Orlando, Fla.), meanwhile, picked up his first win of the season in relief. The sophomore right-hander tossed three innings allowing three unearned runs on two hits, while he struck out three en route to the win.

The two squads will wrap up their three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday (March 5) beginning at noon ET at Tracy Farmer – Don Ball Stadium.

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