WAYNESBURG, Pa. (April 29) – The Waynesburg University baseball team hosted Bethany on Friday for a nine-inning Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) contest. It was a thrilling, emotionally-charged day, as the Yellow Jackets came back to out-slug the Bison in a 12-10 battle after honoring their 10-man senior class.
One of those Waynesburg (11-23, 7-15) seniors,
Chris Lee (Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park) staked the Yellow Jackets to a 2-0 lead thanks to a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning. Bethany (15-20, 7-15) responded quickly with three runs in the top of the second. That advantage ballooned to 7-2 in the top of the fourth, and it looked as though the visitors were going to spoil the Jackets' senior day.
The home team cut into its five-run deficit in the fourth when sophomore
Mike Bell (Herminie, Pa. / Yough) doubled in freshman
Alec Engelmore (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Shaler). The next batter, senior
Cody Ray (St. Clairsville, Ohio / Union Local), plated Bell with a single that made the score 7-4.
Once again, Bethany put some distance between itself and Waynesburg, this time with three runs in the top of the fifth that put the Bison ahead 10-4. Trailing by six at the halfway point of the contest, the Jackets came through with another counterpunch that seemed to signify the turning point of the contest.
After freshman
Bryce Bedilion (Clarksville, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan) led off with a single, senior catcher
Tyler Woodrow (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine-Richland) did the same to put runners on the corner. Following a Bethany out, Lee struck again, this time for an RBI double that made the score 10-5. Engelmore followed with a huge two-run triple that shrunk his team's disadvantage to 10-7. Bell added to his already productive day with a run-scoring double that made the score 10-8.
Innings six and seven saw neither team add to its run total thanks in large part to the relief work of senior pitcher
Chris Agnew (McKees Rocks, Pa. / Montour). After Agnew and the defense retired Bethany in order in the top of the eighth, the Jacket bats woke back up to finally complete the comeback and set the stage for victory in the bottom of the frame.
Back-to-back singles by Ray and freshman
Aidan Williams (Shaler, Pa. / Shaler) followed by a sacrifice bunt from senior
Ty Kildow (Bethesda, Ohio / Union Local) put runners on second and third with one out on the board. Bedilion made the sacrifice pay off by connecting on a game-tying, two-run double that made the score 10-10. After Woodrow walked, graduate student
Brandon Durbin (Cresson, Pa. / Bishop Carroll) struck the game-deciding blow when he doubled home Woodrow and Bedilion to bring about the eventual final score.
The Bison recorded the final two outs of the inning and were able to put the leadoff man on base in the top of the ninth. However, a tailor-made double play ball followed by a routine groundout put the finishing touches on a memorable victory.
After senior
Corey Fischer (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Bethel Park) got the start and worked 3.2 innings, Agnew recorded his first collegiate win in relief after giving up three runs, none of which were earned, on four hits and two walks over 4.1 innings of work. He picked up a pair of strikeouts in the winning effort. Engelmore moved from second base to the pitcher's mound to record the save.
Bedilion piled up a game-high three hits to pace a 15-hit attack from the Jackets. He doubled, scored three runs and logged a pair of RBIs. Woodrow singled twice, walked twice and scored three runs, while Lee tallied three RBIs with his two doubles. Engelmore doubled, tripled, scored twice and tallied two RBIs prior to picking up the save.
After Friday's action-packed nine-inning affair, the same two teams are scheduled to square off again tomorrow in Bethany. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled to be thrown at 12 p.m.
