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Blue Knights Rally for Extra-Inning Win
Urbana splits with nationally ranked Concordia
XENIA, Ohio (March 26, 2008) – The Blue Knight baseball team split its doubleheader against nationally-ranked Concordia University (Mich.) Wednesday night at Athletes in Action Stadium. The Cardinals, ranked 40th in the most recent NAIA Coaches’ Poll, won game one, 8-4, but the Blue Knights stole the show in game two, winning 10-7 in extra innings. Urbana (8-8) dealt Concordia (10-2) just its second loss of the season.
In the first game, Urbana fell behind, 4-0, after just two innings. The Blue Knights rallied for three runs in the top of the third on a John Lindquist 2 RBI double and an RBI single up the middle by senior Mike Heck, to close the gap to 4-3. The Cardinals put up two runs for the third consecutive inning to pull ahead, 6-3. The Blue Knights got on the board again in the sixth on back-to-back doubles by junior Russ Chambers and freshman Zach Roll. Concordia again responded with two runs to go up 8-4 heading into the final inning, and closed the door on Urbana, retiring the side. The Blue Knights struggled defensively, committing four errors.
Game two looked like it would be much of the same as Concordia jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings. That’s how it would stand until the top of the fifth when the Blue Knight bats and dugout came alive. Sophomore Cody Lawhorn’s single through the left side finally got Urbana in the scoring column. A Lindquist single to left field scored another run to make the score 5-2. Concordia produced another run in the bottom of the fifth to expand its lead to 6-2.
The outlook seemed bleak for the Blue Knights, but a giant sixth-inning rally gave Urbana hope. With two outs and a four-run deficit, the Urbana comeback began with senior Tommy Bowlen reaching first on an error. That was followed by four consecutive hits – singles by senior Randy Harrell, sophomore Andrew Harrell, Lawhorn, and sophomore Matt Murphy. It was Murphy’s blast through the left side that scored the tying runs. As it seemed all night, Concordia had an answer and scored the go-ahead run heading into the final inning with a 7-6 lead.
This time in the top of the seventh, the Blue Knights did not falter. With two outs, Bowlen picked up his first hit of the 2008 season with a single through the right side to score Dustin Edwards, the equalizer.
Junior pitcher Jaeson Hudnall came in to close out the game for the Blue Knights and struck out five of the 10 batters he faced, allowing just one hit and no runs. Junior Matt Netherly gave Urbana its lead for good with an RBI double to left center field, his first double of the season and only second hit. Andrew Harrell gave the Blue Knights two more insurance runs with a two-out, 2 RBI double to right field.
Hudnall (5-1) struck out two batters and got the last batter to pop up to sophomore second baseman Kris Nealeigh.
Urbana plays at Malone on Friday, March 28 at 2 p.m.
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