Box Score NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- After getting swept in Saturday's doubleheader, the Midway baseball team returned to Koetter Sports Baseball Complex on Sunday (April 23) looking to avoid a series sweep against IU Southeast (Ind.).
The Eagles jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and would be forced to hold off a rally by the Grenadiers as they were able to avoid the sweep after escaping with a narrow 5-4 victory.
Following Sunday's win, Midway improves to 23-20 overall and 17-7 in River States Conference play, while the Grenadiers slip to 27-17 overall and 17-7 in league play.
The visitors struck first scoring a pair in the second stanza. Cameron Nichols (Owensboro, Ky.) singled and scored on an RBI double by Shane Taylor (Morehead, Ky.), who came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Nick Eastham (Morehead, Ky.) making the score 2-0.
After watching Dylan Burton (Somerset, Ky.) toss a perfect second and third inning, the Eagles stretched their lead to 3-0 with a run in the fourth. Nichols opened the inning with a single before later scoring on a double play.
The Grenadiers got on the board with a run in the sixth, but the Eagles answered right back with a run in the seventh. The visitors had three consecutive two-out base hits capped by an RBI single by Ryan Davis (Paris, Ky.) giving his team a 4-1 advantage.
IU Southeast scored one in the bottom half, but Midway matched with a run in the top of the eighth. A couple of walks and a single loaded the bases for Grant Hotchkiss (Richmond, Ky.), who reached on a bases loaded walk that allowed Midway to stretch their lead to 5-2.
The home team scored a pair in the bottom half of the inning and had the tying run on third with one out. The Eagles then called upon their closer, Jesse Komoroski (Memphis, Tenn.) to help get them out of the jam.
The right-hander got a strikeout and a fielder's choice to end the threat and preserve the 5-4 lead. IU Southeast threatened again in the ninth with the tying run at third and one out.
Ayden Sciandra (Jacksonville, Ky.) fielded a ground ball and threw a one-hopper to Barrett McGill (Bloomfield, Ky.) who made a nice pick and got the tag for the force out. Komoroski then got the next batter to ground out clinching the 5-4 victory.
The save was Komoroski's nine of the season, while Burton once again came up big for his ball club. The sophomore tossed a season-high seven innings and allowed two runs – one earned – on three hits. He also fanned seven and improved to 6-3 on the season with the win.
As a team, Midway had 12 hits with Davis, Nichols, and McGill carding two hits apiece.
The Eagles will return to action this weekend when they travel to Pippa Passes, Ky. for a three-game series on April 28-29.
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