AIKEN, S.C. -- The USC Aiken Pacers (2-1) stunned the Railsplitters (1-2) with a two-out, game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning before completing the come-from-behind 5-4 victory with a walk-off fielder's choice in the bottom of the 10th inning in the rubber game of a three-game NCAA Division II baseball series at Roberto Hernandez Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The loss prevented Lincoln Memorial from securing its first series win against USC Aiken since the 2010 season, as the Railsplitters fall to 15-35 all-time against the Pacers.
The Railsplitters were leading the Pacers 4-3 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning until Max Schoen connected on a solo home run to draw the game even at four apiece. USC Aiken would put the potential game-winning run on base that same inning, but
Dominic Morabito (Vienna, Va.) came on in relief and induced an inning-ending groundout to send the game into extra innings.
Lincoln Memorial put a runner on base with one out in the top of the 10th when
Wes Neiderland (Thompson Station, Tenn.) singled to right field, but back-to-back strikeouts left Neiderland stranded at first.
The Pacers were quickly back in business in the bottom of the 10th frame, as Tyler Ammerman singled as did Chaz Pal, while a throwing error on Pal's hit moved both runners into scoring position without any outs. After an intentional walk was issued to Brian Parreira to set up the force at home, Zach Moon bounced a slow roller to the LMU shortstop.
Seth Hunt (Knoxville, Tenn.) fielded the ball cleanly and threw a strike to home, but Ammerman's slide knocked the ball loose and sent the Pacers away with the walk-off victory.
That sequence capped a four-run rally by the Pacers and spoiled a stellar outing from freshman right-hander
Matt Mullenbach (Urbandale, Iowa) in the first appearance of his collegiate career.
Mullenbach held the Pacers scoreless through the first six innings and was in line for the victory after the Railsplitters put up all four of their runs in the top half of the sixth inning.
Hunt was hit by a pitch and
Mason Ewers (Kingsport, Tenn.) singled to spark that rally for the Railsplitters. After a fly out,
Eric Kalman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) drew a walk to load the bases. Neiderland then broke the scoreless tie by driving in two runs with a single to right field.
HD Dillard (Woodstock, Ga.) kept the inning alive with a two-out walk two batters later, while another run scored on an error on a ball put in play by
Danny Valdez (Orlando, Fla.).
Jean Rodriguez (Caguas, Puerto Rico) plated the final run of the inning by drawing a bases-loaded walk to extend the Railsplitters' lead to 4-0.
The Pacers finally broke through against Mullenbach in the bottom of the seventh inning when Parreira led off with a solo home run and Moon doubled, forcing LMU skipper
Jeff Sziksai to call
Chase Randolph (Harriman, Tenn.) in from the bullpen. A double by Schoen and a throwing error allowed USC Aiken to claw within one run and make the ninth-inning rally possible, but Randolph struck out Ammerman to leave the tying run stranded at second base.
Randolph fanned five over 2.2 innings of relief and held the Pacers completely in check until Schoen's game-tying blast in the ninth.
Mullenbach finished with five strikeouts and allowed four hits over six-plus innings. He walked one and gave up two earned runs to pick up the no decision.
Neiderland led the Railsplitters with a pair of hits and two RBIs, while Hunt reached base four times and recorded a single with a run scored. Lincoln Memorial finished with six hits as a team. USC Aiken had 10 hits in the contest.
Pacer reliever Erik Davis was awarded the win after allowing just one hit with two strikeouts over 1.1 innings out of the bullpen. Nick Yobbi made the start for USC Aiken, striking out seven with two hits allowed over 5.1 innings.
The Railsplitters are right back in action on Monday, traveling to Orangeburg, S.C. to face Claflin in nonconference action at 2 p.m.
