Newberry, SC – The Flying Fleet scored eight runs in the top of the ninth inning to erase a two run deficit and held on for a 13-7 victory over Newberry College Wednesday afternoon in non conference baseball action.
The Wolves would take advantage of an Erskine error in the bottom of the first to take an early 1-0 lead. In the top of the third, it would be the Fleet who would take advantage of a Newberry error. Zach McCarthy (Spartanburg, SC, Byrnes HS) would reach base on an error by the second baseman and with two outs, Casey Winckowski (Oregon, OH, Owens CC) would get the Fleet’s first hit, blasting a two run home run over the right centerfield wall to make it a 2-1 game. Will Huff (Suga Hill, GA, North Gwinnett HS) would hit his second home run in as many games with a solo shot to right field in the fifth to push the Erskine lead to 3-1.
The Wolves would cut the Erskine lead to one in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single by Terrence Gray. In the sixth inning, Newberry would once again take advantage of an Erskine error to tie the game at three. The Fleet would respond in the next half inning, when pinch hitter Luke Danielewicz (Spartanburg, SC, Dorman High School) would line the first he saw into left center field to score two and make it a 5-3 game.
In the bottom of the inning, Kevin Rufus would lead off the inning with a triple and spark a four run inning for the Wolves and give them a 7-5 lead going into the final two innings. Neither team could muster any offense in the eighth inning, setting the scene for a dramatic comeback by the Fleet.
In the top of the ninth, the first three batters for Erskine would pick up four pitch walks to load the bases and put the tying run at second base. After the second pitching of the inning, Shawn Glover (Columbia, SC, Richland Northeast High School) would be hit by a pitch to push across Zach Smith (Lexington, SC, White Knoll HS) and make it a one run game. Winckowski would then hit a line drive back up the middle to tie the game up at seven with no one out. Chase Corn (Travelers Rest, SC, Blue Ridge HS) would the single to right center to put the Fleet up by one and the John Bolding (Pickens, SC, Pickens HS) would double down the left field line to clear the bases and give the Fleet some breathing room. McCarthy would finish off the scoring with a two run single and make it a six run game. Atlee Pearson (Duncan, SC, Byrnes HS) would pitch his second straight 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half of the ninth to wrap up the game and pick up the win.
Winckowski led the Fleet at the plate going 2-5 with a home run and three RBI’s, while McCarthy was 2-4 with two runs batted in and three runs scored. Pearson picked up his second win in as many games, striking out three in 2.2 innings of work.
With the win, the Fleet improves to 3-0, while the Wolves fall to 3-2. Erskine returns to action tomorrow as they host Brevard College at 2:00 pm.
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