PULASKI, Tenn. - Both teams posted ninth-inning rallies to combine for six runs in their final frame, but the home team University of Tennessee Southern canceled out Stillman College's rally to walk off with a 7-6 non-conference win at Bobby Walker Field.
Trailing 5-2 after eight innings, Stillman took the lead with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Troy Davis singled with two outs to start the rally.
Kelvin Reese and
Devin Kelly followed with singles to load the bases before
Griff Minor cleared them with a three-run double to center field.
Kobe Lewis delivered the fifth-consecutive, two-out hit for the Tigers to move Minor's courtesy runner TJ Blackmon to third base. Blackmon took advantage of a rundown at second to steal home and put Stillman on top, 6-5.
Tigers' closer
Cody Clark took the mound in the bottom of the ninth, but gave up a leadoff walk to Blake Birdsong. After Clark recorded his first strikeout, Grayson Willis singled to left to put runners on the corners. Clark fanned another Firehawk, but Noah Junker delivered a two-out double to right that scored Birdsong and Willis to win the game.
Kelly and Reese both had three hits to lead Stillman in the game. Kelly got the Tigers' offense going in the top of the first inning but was left stranded at third. UT Southern took the lead in the second with a leadoff solo home run by Kevin McCarthy, but Stillman fought back with two runs in the top of the fifth to lead, 2-1.
Tre'en Dorsett singled and Davis was hit by a pitch to put two on with one out. A double steal helped set up a two-run double to left by Reese to give Stillman its lead.
UTS relied on the long ball again in the bottom of the seventh. This time it was Michael Wurtz with a two-run homer for UTS to lead 3-2. C Huntley delivered a two-out RBI single to extend the lead, 4-2. Another Firehawks run scored in the bottom of the eighth after four free bases.
Junker led UTS with three hits and two RBI. Wurtz and McCarthy also drove in two runs each.
Raymon Vaughn pitched six innings for Stillman as the starter, walking nine and allowing two hits, but only one run. He struck out six.
Jared Hines,
Raul Polanco and Minor each pitched in relief before Clark (0-1) took over in the ninth and was charged with the loss. Stillman pitchers combined for nine strikeouts.
UT Southern went through five pitchers, combining for 11 strikeouts. Cody Womble earned the win in relief.
Stillman College (10-10) will host No. 21 William Carey University for a three-game Southern States Athletic Conference series this weekend. The games are currently scheduled for a noon doubleheader Friday, March 24 and a single game Saturday at noon.
