WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The TCNJ baseball team opened its RussMatt Invitational schedule with a stiff test on Sunday morning at Chain of Lakes Park, facing No. 19 Southern Maine.
Ben Amon pitched a dazzling seven innings, but Southern Maine overcame three deficits to defeat the Lions, 8-7, in 12 innings.
Chris Reeder had three hits and three RBIs to pace the TCNJ offense.
It seemed that the primary contributions of Amon and Reeder would be enough to carry the Lions to a 3-0 start to the season and a win over the ranked Huskies.
Reeder capped a three-run third inning for the Lions that opened the scoring.
Jack Haynes sacrificed
Joey Cruciata to third and
Mike Lagravenis to second for the inning's first out.
Ryan Goodall was intentionally walked to load the bases, and
Chris Cote brought home Cruciata with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. Reeder came up with two on and two outs, and he ripped a two-run single to left field to make it 3-0 TCNJ.
Amon was efficient and effective. He threw just 37 pitches after four innings, needed just four to retire the Huskies in order in the fourth. After throwing 14 in the fifth, he was at 51 pitches after five innings. To that point, he had allowed just an unearned run in the bottom of the third to cut the Lions' lead to 3-1.
Amon ended up throwing 94 pitches in seven innings, allowing just the one unearned run on four hits while striking out and walking three apiece.
That 3-1 lead held up until the bottom of the ninth. Southern Maine scored two runs on two hits, including an RBI single to tie the score with one out. With runners at first and second and needing just one to cross for the win, TCNJ induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat to force extra innings.
TCNJ scored three in the 11
th to take a 6-3 lead.
Jack Haynes brought home
Zach Hochheiser on a fielder's choice to make it 4-3. A throwing error on Southern Maine's catcher on a walk to Goodall allowed Lagravenis to score to make it 5-3. Reeder came through with a two-out RBI single to score Haynes to make it 6-3.
The Lions had Southern Maine down to its last out with a runner on first, but a walk and a double made it 6-5. The Huskies followed with an RBI single to tie the score, but they couldn't plate the winning run, leaving the bases loaded.
That opened the door for TCNJ to take another lead in the 12
th. Singles by
Michael Schumacher and
Sebastian JnoBaptiste followed by a walk to Haynes loaded the bases with two outs. Goodall followed with another walk, and TCNJ had a 7-6 lead.
Southern Maine finally took its only lead in the bottom of the 12
th, and it was the only one it needed to win the game. An RBI double tied the score and put runners at second and third with one out. After an intentional walk to load the bases and set up a double play chance, Southern Maine earned the walk-off win with a sacrifice fly to left that scored without a play.
Lagravenis and Cote each had two hits for the Lions. Lagravenis added a walk and two runs scored.
TCNJ is back at it on Monday morning at Chain of Lakes Park. TCNJ will face North Park at 9:30 a.m. First pitch was originally scheduled for 10 a.m.
