PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Senior
Bryan McGrath (Franklin, Mass.) blasted a bases-loaded walk-off single in the bottom of the tenth to lift Plymouth State University to a split with Western Connecticut State University during a Little East Conference (LEC) baseball double header at Parish Field on Saturday.
Playing at home for the first time this season, the Panthers got out to a 4-0 lead in the opener, but WestConn exploded for 14 runs over the final five innings to grab a 14-7 win.
PSU carried a 6-4 lead into the ninth inning of game two, but the Wolves pushed three runs across to take the lead. Senior
Griffin Crane (Lancaster, N.H.) singled to start the bottom of the ninth and was bunted over and sophomore
Danny Quinn (Holliston, Mass.) tied the game with a base hit up the middle. The Panthers loaded the bases in the tenth and McGrath launched a drive deep to left field for the walk-off win.
Plymouth State improves to 7-13 (1-6 LEC), while WestConn goes to 5-23 and 1-8 in conference play.
The Basics:
- Game 1: Plymouth State 7, WestConn 14
- Game 2: Plymouth State 8, WestConn 7 (10 Inn.)
- Plymouth State (7-13, 1-6 LEC)
- WestConn (5-23, 1-8 LEC)
How it Happened (Game One):
- The Panthers jumped out to a good start in the first when senior Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) walked and junior Jackson Curtis (Jefferson, N.H.) reached on a bunt single. Quinn followed with an RBI hit and another runner scored on a Wolves' error for a 2-0 lead.
- Crane tripled to open the second and Curtis knocked him in with a sac fly to increase the lead to 3-0.
- Curtis smacked a one-out double in the fourth and junior Joshua Welsh (East Lyme, Conn.) extended the lead with a clutch two-out single to make it 4-0.
- WestConn got two back in the fifth, but the Panthers answered right back when junior Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) led off the bottom of the inning with a solo homer to left to make it 5-2.
- The Wolves used a base-loaded triple and sacrifice fly to take a 6-5 lead in the sixth, but Sokolski ripped a two-out single through the left side to tie the game at 6-6 in the bottom half.
- WestConn went back in front with two in the top of the seventh, then tacked on another four in the eighth to make it 12-6.
- The visitors added another two runs in the ninth. PSU had three hits in the bottom of the inning, including an RBI single for Curtis, but the deficit was too big to overcome.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- Curtis went 3-for-5 with a double, two runs and two RBI, while Quinn had two singles and a walk in five at bats.
- Sokolski finished 2-for-5 with his second home run of the year. He drove in two. Crane also had two hits, including a triple.
- The Panthers had 13 hits in the game.
- Senior Trey Parker (Meriden, N.H.) worked the first 5.2 innings, while senior Eoin Hamell-Keller (Attleboro, Mass.) suffered the loss.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- Curtis smashed a one-out double and Welsh reached on an error allowing Curtis to score in the first. McGrath followed with an RBI double as PSU took an early 2-0 lead.
- WestConn got a run back in the third, then tied the game in the fourth.
- Curtis and Sokolski had back-to-back hits to start the fifth and Welsh followed with a run-scoring hit up the middle as PSU went back in front, 3-2.
- The Wolves answered right back in the next half inning to tie the score, then jumped in front with a leadoff homer in the seventh for a 4-3 advantage.
- Plymouth State see-sawed back into the lead in the seventh. Sokolski drew a walk and Welsh singled before McGrath drove in a run with a sac fly to tie the score. After Crane's single, senior Nick Healey (Campton, N.H.) put PSU in front with an RBI hit and later a bases loaded walk made it 6-4.
- WestConn rallied in the ninth. With the bases loaded and one out, a sac fly made it 6-5 and a single and error allowed two runs to score as the visitors took a 7-6 lead.
- Crane singled to start the bottom half and was bunted over, before Quinn tied the game with a single up the middle to force extra innings.
- In the tenth, Rives walked and was bunted over and Sokolski drew an intentional walk. A wild pitch moved both runners up and Welsh took ball four to load the bases, setting up McGrath's game-winning drive.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- Five different players had two-hit games for the Panthers, with Curtis and McGrath each notching a single and double.
- McGrath drove in three.
- Sokolski was on base four times with two singles and a pair of walks.
- Senior Bobby Cliche (Stratham, N.H.) struck out six over the first 3.2 innings, while graduate student Sean Thompson (Georgetown, Mass.) and Hamell-Kelleher each threw a scoreless inning of relief. Hamell-Kelleher struck out the side in the eighth.
- Freshman Tyler Hicks (Jefferson, N.H.) picked his first career win.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State remains home to face Southern Maine in another LEC battle on Tuesday (Apr. 18). First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.
– 30 –
