CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Trevor Jones drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning to lift Point Park to 6-5 win over Concord on Wednesday night in the opening round of the MEC Baseball Tournament at GoMart Ballpark.
The win, Point Park's 30
th of the season, gives the Pioneers a day off before returning to tournament play on Friday at 3:30 p.m. against the winner of the Charleston-Frostburg State game tomorrow afternoon.
After three scoreless innings,
Blake Ewing put Point Park on the board with a solo home run to right field to make it 1-0 in the fourth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Concord (25-26) answered with a two-run home run by Tyson Burke to put the Mountain Lions in front.
Two innings later with the bases loaded, Concord's Nick Disanti was walked to bring in the Mountain Lions' third run of the game.
Trailing by two runs, Point Park put up four runs in the top of the eighth. Ewing started the scoring with an RBI single to right center that scored
Felix Rodriguez.
After a pitching change and with runners on first and third, Jones doubled to right center to score
Olindo Pezzone and tie the game at 3-3.
Luis Gonzalez walked during the next at-bat, setting up a sacrifice fly by
Carlos de la Vega with runners on the corners to give the Pioneers the lead.
Two batters later,
Sebastian Hernandez singled to left field to make it 5-3 and end the scoring in the frame.
In the bottom of the eighth with runners on second and third following a wild pitch, Concord's Jared Lavergne belted a double to left center to score both base runners to once again tie the game at 5-5.
Following the game-tying double,
Harold Boyce entered the game and forced a double play to end the side.
In the top of the ninth,
Felix Rodriguez and Pezzone were both hit by pitches to put runners on first and second. After a strikeout, Jones drove in the go-ahead run on an RBI single to right field, scoring
Felix Rodriguez from second.
Clinging to a 6-5 lead, Boyce put the Mountain Lions down in order by groundout, groundout and strikeout to end the game.
Ramon Rodriguez made the start and went six and a third, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits while striking out eight.
Ethan Parker pitched into the eighth, before Boyce came in for the final five outs. Boyce, a second team All-MEC selection, improved to 9-3 on the year with the win.
At the plate, Jones went 3-of-5 with two RBIs – including a double. Ewing homered and finished 3-of-4 with two RBIs.
Luis Gonzalez also recorded two hits in the game.
Jones also stole a base late in the game.
