Long Ball Rally for Roanoke

Action photo of RC baseball Jonny Wall at the plate
RC defeated CWR 10-9

The Basics
Score: Roanoke 10 | Case Western Reserve 9

Records: Maroons 5-4 / 0-0 ODAC | Spartans 3-3
Location: Salem, Va.

The Lead: For the second consecutive day, Roanoke would find themselves down to Case Western Reserve in the late innings. After posting a walk-off win over the Spartans last night, the Maroons used a two-run home run in the seventh to tie and a solo shot in the eighth to post another come from behind win, 10-9.

Highlights:

  • The Spartans would score two runs in the first and two more in the second for a 4-0 lead. Roanoke would get a leadoff base hit by Mason Staz. Conner Butler walked and Owen Lawn was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Carson McCusker laced a double down the right field line to plate a pair. Jacob Bonzon singled through the left side of the infield and Roanoke had cut the deficit to 4-3.
  •  Increased their advantage in the top of the fourth, 6-3. Roanoke responded in the bottom half with RBI doubles by Bonzon and Will Smith to get back to within a single run.
  • Trailing by two in the bottom of the fifth, the Maroons used an RBI base hit by Lawn to make it 7-6. With the bases loaded and no outs, McCusker would hit into t double play but it would send Butler home and the game would be tied at 7-7.
  • A two-run home run in the top of the sixth allowed Case Western to re-take the lead. However, as had been the case all afternoon, Roanoke quickly responded. Butler started the seventh by getting hit. Lawn then delivered a home run over the left centerfield fence to tie the game at 8-8.
  • With two runners on in the top of the eighth, Head Coach Zach Ullrich went to the bullpen to summon Alex Markus. Markus would record a strikeout to get Roanoke out of the jam. In the bottom half, Jonny Wall was once again the hero. Wall hit a walk-off on Sunday night when he sent a shot off the fence to score Smith. On this afternoon, the ballpark couldn't contain Wall as he sent a 380-foot shot over the left field wall to give the Maroons the lead.
  • In the top of the ninth, the Spartans got a pair of runners on and went to their left-handed slugger to pinch hit. Ullrich made the call to his lefty, Anthony Sullivan who got the strikeout and then a ground ball to first to save the win, 10-9.
  • Markus got his first win of the season while Sullivan notched his first save.
  • Bonzon was 3-3 with a pair of RBI. Lawn finished 2-3 with two runs and three RBI while Butler went 1-2 with three runs scored.  

Up next: Roanoke wraps up the three-game series with Case tomorrow at the Salem Memorial Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00pm.