Brevard, NC – The Tornados scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to take a come from behind victory over Erskine College Wednesday afternoon.
Kevin Hamilton (2-1) picked up the win for the Tornados (10-13), pitching a scoreless two-thirds of an inning in escaping a jam in the top of the ninth, while Atlee Pearson (Duncan, SC, Byrnes HS) (2-1) suffers the loss for Erskine (17-8).
Erskine opened the scoring in the first inning as John Bolding drove a 1-1 pitch over the left centerfield fence to put the Flying Fleet up 1-0.
The Tornados answered in the bottom half of the inning as Randy O’Dell hit a one-out double into the right centerfield gap, scoring Ron Patterson from first to even up the game. Brevard’s offense continued in the second inning as Patterson was picked off first base and caught in a rundown, allowing Kramer Clark to score from third ahead of the throw to give the Tornados the 2-1 lead.
Zach Smith (Lexington, SC, White Knoll HS) singled home Zach McCarthy (Spartanburg, SC, Byrnes HS) to tie the game up in the third for Erskine and the Flying Fleet went back ahead in the fourth as McCarthy doubled down the right field line, scoring Drew Willingham (Hodges, SC, Greenwood HS).
Brevard and Erskine swapped runs in the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth as Clark scored on a wild pitch from Erskine starter Heath Gray and Kameron Armacost dropped a bunt down, scoring Steele Myers. The Flying Fleet took advantage of two Brevard errors in the top of the fifth as Phillip Herring (Dillion, SC, Dillion HS) and Smith scored to hold the 5-4 advantage at the midway point of the game.
The Tornados blew the game open in the bottom of the fifth as the first seven batters of the inning all reached base, with five coming around to score to makeit a 9-5 game
Erskine battled back in the eighth as Herring drew a walk to lead off the inning. Brian Laznik (Chardon, OH, Lakeland CC)was plunked by a pitch, putting runners on first and second, but Dustin Haithcox retired the next batter on an infield pop fly. A base hit by Bolding loaded the bases and Willingham brought home the first run with an infield single.Luke Danielewicz (Spartanburg, SC, Dorman High School) followed with a single through the left side of the infield, scoring two to bring the Flying Fleet back to within one, but Michael Bradley entered the game and retired the side to end the threat.
After an intentional walk was issued to Smith, loading the bases with one out in the ninth, Bolding drove a double to the fence in right center, scoring all three runs to put Erskine up 11-9. Hamilton entered the game and after a wild pitch advanced Bolding to third, the right-hander retired the side to end the threat.
The Tornados would take advantage of an Erskine error in the bottom of the ninth to plate three runs to take the victory.
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