DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College baseball team (19-29, 8-20 CC) defeated Shorter University (24-20, 12-16 CC) by a score of 6-5 in 10 innings at Grier Field on Friday afternoon.

Josean Sanchez delivered a walk-off single in the 10th inning to give the Fleet a pivotal series-opening win and helped Head Coach Mark Crocco reach the 200-win mark in his Erskine tenure.

THE ESSENTIALS 
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HOW IT HAPPENED
Welcoming in a conference newcomer for a vital three game series to finish the regular season, Erskine got off to a flying start, thanks to a two-run blast from Dylan Wanat in the first inning. After Shorter answered with a three-run top of the third inning to take its first lead, Jorge Pascual responded with a solo home run in the bottom half to tie the game at three. The Hawks regained the lead in the fourth inning, but some aggressive baserunning from Josean Sanchez on a wild pitch in the fifth meant the game was tied again. In large part due to a special performance out of the bullpen from Kyle Knoll, the game stayed deadlocked at 4 until the eighth inning when Jude Littrell delivered a clutch go-ahead RBI single to put the Fleet on top, 5-4. Shorter tied the game in the top of the ninth to stay alive, but Ethan Wilford came on to shut the door, sending the game to extra innings. Gene Blackmon breezed through the top of the 10th, giving Erskine a chance to walk it off. After consecutive hit batsmen to begin the inning, Littrell worked a walk that loaded the bases with just one out from Josean Sanchez. And the Fleet's senior second baseman delivered a line-drive single into center field, scoring Andrew Chandler for the game-winning run and giving Erskine a huge win in the series opener.

THE PLAYER
Josean Sanchez had a pair of hits and two runs scored in Game 1 of the weekend, as he helped catalyze the Erskine offense on Friday and also delivered the walk-off single in extra innings for the Fleet.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine and Shorter finish the series and the regular season with a vital doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., which will also be Senior Day for the Fleet.

MORE ABOUT THE ERSKINE COLLEGE FLYING FLEET

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