NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- No. 15 Point Park University baseball was dealt two tough losses on Friday night as the Pioneers dropped two extra-inning games at (RV) IU Southeast to begin the key, River States Conference series.
The Pioneers (32-7, 19-4 RSC) gave away a 4-1 lead in the ninth inning of the first game and lost, 5-4, in 10 innings. The second game was knotted up at 1-1 for several innings before IU Southeast (34-8, 21-2 RSC) pushed across a run in the eighth inning of a game that was scheduled for seven.
The series concludes with the final game on Saturday at 12 p.m. IU Southeast holds a 2.0 lead and a tiebreaker with the series win with four games to play for each team.
(RV) IU SOUTHEAST 5, POINT PARK 4 (10 INN.)
Point Park built a 4-0 lead in the first game, and IU Southeast didn't score until the seventh inning. A couple of errors and hit batters proved costly for the Pioneers the last few innings. The Grenadiers cut the lead to 4-1 in the seventh after an infield error, a base hit and a groundout scored their first run.
Still down three runs in the bottom of the ninth, IU Southeast loaded the bases no outs with a single and two hit batters. A sacrifice fly by Jordan Branz made the score 4-2 for the first out, and a strikeout followed. But another hit batter reloaded the bases, and Richard Rodriguez followed with a two-run single to tie.
IU Southeast got the winning run in its half of the 10th, which started with a dropped fly ball. A bunt base hit followed, and with the winning run in scoring position, a single through the hole at shortstop by Branz ended the game.
Point Park got all four of its runs off IU Southeast starter Ryne Underwood, but it did not dent the bullpen. Erik Montero homered in the second inning for an early lead. In the fifth, the Pioneers loaded the bases with no outs but settled for Stefan Mrkonja's sacrifice fly as the only run.
The Pioneers extended the lead to 4-0 in the sixth thanks to Reynaldo Adames' two-run single. With two outs and nobody on, Richard Perez singled and Edberg Dominguez doubled to set up those runs. Perez was 2 for 4, and Dominguez was 1 for 3 with two runs.
Pioneers' starter Nicholas Beardsley pitched into the seventh inning and did not give up an earned run. He got a no-decision after striking out six, walking two and giving up six hits over 6.0 innings. He came out after an error to start the seventh inning. Addison Domingo covered the final 3.1 innings on the mound for Point Park, and he was charged with four runs, three of which were earned.
(RV) IU SOUTHEAST 2, POINT PARK 1 (8 INN.)
The nightcap was a tight game throughout, and it too went to extra innings. The Grenadiers scored in their first and last times at bat to win. Jordan Branz led off the bottom of the first with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Korbin Williams' sacrifice fly.
The Pioneers tied the game at 1-1 in the third with Stefan Mrkonja reaching on a walk, moving from first to third on a Jake Horew's base hit and eventually scoring on a wild pitch.
Both teams were set up with chances to score after that, but the score remained tied at 1-1 until extra innings. Felix Castillo had another strong start for the Pioneers as the junior right-hander tossed 6.0 innings with only one run allowed. He scattered six hits, struck out three and walked two.
IU Southeast's eighth inning started with a lead-off single by Josh Beams. Richard Rodriguez executed a sacrifice bunt to put the winning run in scoring position, and Williams followed with his second RBI of the game on a double to end it.
It became a battle of the bullpens with Point Park getting only one hit off the Grenadiers' relievers Kyle Hawkins and Tyler Yates over 4.0 innings. IU Southeast starter Trevor Reynolds pitched 4.0 innings and gave up four hits. Addison Domingo took the loss for Point Park in 1.1 innings of relief.
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