The commonly used sports axiom, “a win is a win,” proved true for the Lipscomb baseball team on Wednesday night. The Bisons came back on three separate occasions, then got out of a bases-loaded jam to hold on for an 11-9 win in a 3-hour and 50 minute marathon at Dugan Field.
The win brings the Bisons to 8-4 on the season as they head into a 3-game series with University of Michigan, who cracked the top-25 this past week.
Lipscomb starter Dayton Tripp (2-0) did not have his best stuff on the mound, and the opponent Tennessee Tech took advantage early. First baseman Chase Chambers got the scoring started with a single that drove in two runs in the first frame. Infielder Matt Jones belted a hanging breaking ball into left-center for two more runs in the second. Designated hitter Ryan Flick went yard in the third to make the score 5-0, Golden Eagles.
“We just started slow, and sometimes that happens after a long weekend [at Auburn] and when school starts to catch up to you,” skipper Jeff Forehand said.
Not to worry. Comeback number one came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Left-fielder Von Watson singled, followed by a Jeffrey Crisan double, before shortstop Blake Watson got an RBI single to bring the Bisons on the board. Junior star Michael Gigliotti walked to load the bases before second baseman Lee Solomon was hit by a pitch to bring home another run. First baseman Cade Sorrels got an RBI groundout, and Gigliotti eventually scored on another wild pitch by the Golden eagles. Junior Jake Perry drove Solomon in with a single to complete a five-run inning that tied the game.
“I have learned to stop trying to tell them what to do and just let them do it,” Forehand said. “The beginning was a little concerning, but I still knew we would get our chances, and I’m proud of the way we brought it back.”
Lipscomb would fall behind again in the next two innings. After Tech scored a run in the sixth, Von Watson again got a leadoff hit and advanced bases, eventually scoring on a groundout by Crisan. Then in the seventh, outfielder Tevin Symonette ripped a double down the third-base line to drive in Zeke Dodson with two outs, this time to tie the game at seven apiece.
“This game was so long, and I really just wanted to keep reminding the guys to be methodical in every at bat and let it happen,” Forehand said.
Patience proved to be key in the contest. Lipscomb walked seven times and capitalized on several wild pitches by Tech to put runners in scoring position.
In the eighth inning, the Bisons took their first lead of the game. Gigliotti, Solomon and Thomas, who had his second consecutive three-hit game, loaded the bases with no outs in the frame, before Dodson ripped a double into left field to drive two more runs home. Solomon would eventually score on a wild pitch, and Perry singled up the middle to bring home Dodson and give the Bisons an 11-7 lead.
The final inning brought even more drama. Closer Kyle Kemp got into a jam and gave up a few infield hits and two runs before striking out his last batter with the bases loaded to seal the win. All in all, the unorthodox and lengthy contest put a win in the record column for Lipscomb, the only thing that really matters.
Relief pitcher Norman Denton pitched a flawless eighth inning to earn his first win of the season, while Tech’s Jake Rice got the loss.
Next up, the Bisons play host to highly-ranked Michigan for a three-game series starting on Friday. Coach Forehand called the series a great opportunity for his club to play a quality team and try to win some good games. The Bisons will send ace Brady Puckett to the mound at Dugan Field on Friday.
Photo courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics