PAINESVILLE, OHIO - A five-run 10th inning capped a wild season
opener for the Lake Erie College baseball team in a 15-11 victory
at St. Andrew's Presbyterian College on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 28).
The Storm (1-0) took a 10-8 lead into the bottom of the ninth,
but Jeff Brothers' pinch-hit two-run double off of freshman Patrick
Sinko (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) tied the game and forced extra innings.
Junior Brandon James (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) drove in the go ahead
run in the top of the 10th and freshman Patrick Kilway (Tallmadge,
Ohio/Tallmadge) followed with a two-run single. Sophomore Mike
Morgan (Indian Lake, Ohio/Russells Point) doubled in Marker - his
fourth hit of the game- and classmate Matt Toth (Lorain,
Ohio/Admiral King) later walked with the bases loaded to score Lake
Erie's final run.
Sinko, the fourth pitcher of the game for Lake Erie, surrendered
a run in the bottom half of the inning, but escaped without further
damage to earn his first career victory.
St. Andrews (1-14-1) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but
the Storm responded with three in their half of the second,
highlighted by sophomore Matt Vanni's (Willowick, Ohio/Cleveland
Benedictine) two-run single.
Toth drove in a pair in a three-run fifth and a double by
sophomore Jae Leeworthy (Newton Falls, Ohio/Newton Falls) made it a
9-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth. There, the Knights scored
twice and followed with two more runs in the seventh to close the
gap.
Morgan, who finished four-for-six at the plate, homered in the
top of the ninth to push the margin to two before Brothers'
game-tying hit.
Toth, James, Vanni and junior Nick Lovick (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor)
each had two hits apiece. Toth and Kilway finished with three RBI
while Leeworthy scored three runs.
Freshman Adam Beach (Vermilion, Ohio/Vermilion) got the start
and went 5 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs on six hits with five
strikeouts. Sinko (1-0) pitched three innings out of the pen to
pick up the win.
Kyle Schneider took the loss for St. Andrews. He gave up five
runs, four earned, in one inning. Josh Axelsen had three hits and
drove in three runs for the Knights.
The Storm continues its spring break trip on Monday, March 1,
with a single game at Pfeiffer University. First pitch is set for
2:30 p.m.
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