FERRUM, Va. – The Ferrum College Baseball Team (9-20, 6-14 ODAC) earned a 9-8 win over visiting Emory & Henry College (5-15, 4-15 ODAC) in walk-off fashion Tuesday evening in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference game. The Panthers held off an eighth-inning rally by the Wasps and grabbed the victory in the bottom of the ninth.
The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Ferrum 9, Emory & Henry 8
LOCATION – Ferrum, Virginia
VENUE – Panther Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (5-15, 4-15 ODAC); Ferrum (9-20, 6-14 ODAC)
How It Happened
E&H opened up a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when senior third baseman Hayden Milley (Clover, S.C.) tagged a two-run home run to left field. The Panthers responded in the bottom of the frame to go up 3-2, highlighted by Matt Yarbrough's two-run base hit to left.
In the second, the Wasps tied the contest at three runs apiece on a solo shot to left by sophomore catcher Nathan Treadway (Valdese, N.C.). Five straight runs between the third and sixth innings by Ferrum made it an 8-5 ball game. Yarbrough had three RBI in the span, hitting a sacrifice fly in the third and a two-run homer in the fifth.
Emory & Henry's offense woke up in the eighth to tie the contest, 8-8. Junior centerfielder Connor Buchanan (Meadowview, Va.) got things started with a double down the right field line setting up a sacrifice fly by senior shortstop Caleb Haynes (Covington, Va.). Milley came through again with the bat, drilling his second round-tripper of the night, this time a three-run shot for the eight-all score.
After the bottom of the eighth and top of the ninth went scoreless, FC found itself on the brink of extra innings. With the bases loaded and one out, Clayton Michael hit into a fielder's choice but the throw home was late as the Panthers grabbed the 9-8 walk-off win.
Mitch Custer earned the win for Ferrum in relief, pitching the final 1.2 innings by allowing no runs on one hit with one strikeout. Carlton Redd got a no-decision, pitching the first 6.1 as he scattered three runs on nine hits with one strikeout.
E&H senior Jordan Smith (Bassett, Va.) suffered the loss, allowing one run on one hit and two walks. Freshman Will Clark (Collinsville, Va.) went six innings, permitting seven earned runs on six hits and five walks.
Up Next
Emory & Henry will remain on the road Wednesday when it visits Guilford College at 3:00 p.m. The contest was originally scheduled to be played on Tuesday, April 13.
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