THOMASVILLE, Ga. - Stillman College rallied back from a 10-5 hole to defeat Thomas University, 14-12, in 10 innings Saturday and win its first Southern States Athletic Conference weekend series in the program's six years in the SSAC.
Devin Kelly and
Griff Minor each had three hits on the day to lead Stillman, including an insurance run RBI single by Minor in the tenth inning.
Thomas jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning, but Stillman got on the board with a two-run
Sieas Elliot home run in the second inning. Three unearned runs in the third inning made it a one-run game, 6-5, but Thomas stretched its lead, 10-5, in the bottom of the third. Kelly singled in a pair of runs in the fourth and a third run scored on an error for Stillman to fight back within two runs, 10-8.
Trailing 11-8 in the top of the eighth,
Kobe Lewis hit his third home run of the week to spark Stillman's 6-1 rally over the last three innings. Kelly and
Geoff Grier followed with RBI singles to tie the game, 11-11, after eight innings. Lewis gave Stillman a 12-11 lead on a sac fly in the top of the ninth, but Thomas was able to force extra innings, 12-12.
In the tenth,
Samuel Fleming reached on a fielder's choice and fielding error that put runners on the corners. A balk plated Grier as the go-ahead run before Minor singled to left to score Fleming.
Cody Clark, who pitched out of a bottom of the ninth jam, allowed two hits but recorded two scoreless innings to secure his second win of the season and his career. He struck out two in the bottom of the 10th, despite working the bases loaded. A ground ball to Kelly at second ended the game.
Stillman (6-6, 2-4) capped the weekend with two-straight wins, 14-13 over Thomas on Friday night and 14-12 on Saturday, after losing Game 1 of the series on Friday, 7-0.
The Tigers will travel to Alabama A&M University on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 1 p.m. before host Brewton-Parker College in a three-game SSAC series March 1-2.
