March 27, 2003
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Freshman second baseman John Hill drilled a one-out double to the gap in left-center field to score pinch-runner Josh Birenbaum with the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning and Army rallied after surrendering the lead in the top of the frame as the Black Knights and Fairfield played to a 3-3 tie, Thursday afternoon at Doubleday Field. Army's home opener was called after nine innings due to darkness.
The Black Knights (2-8-1) carried a 2-1 lead into the top of the ninth, but Fairfield (2-10-1) scored two runs with two outs against Army reliever Wes Bumgardner to forge ahead 3-2. Bob Wray's pinch-hit line-drive single to center field plated pinch-runner Mark Geanuleas with the tying run before Greg Leaver's single to center delivered pinch-runner Jim Girolamo with the go-ahead tally.
With darkness setting in, Army battled back behind three base hits in the bottom of the inning off Stag reliever Matt Thiffault. Jeremey Stache reached base after getting hit by a pitch to begin the comeback. Hill, a defensive replacement for Bumgardner at second base in the top of the inning, then scorched a 2-1 offering from Thiffault deep to the gap for his first collegiate extra-base hit and first collegiate RBI. Birenbaum motored around the bases, scoring easily with the tying run.
It appeared Army would complete the comeback when Schulyer Williamson's bad-hop single leaped over the shoulder of Geanuleas at third base, but Lever's two-hop throw home arrived in time to nail Hill at the plate for the second out of the inning. Williamson advanced to second on the throw. Josh Holden's single off the glove of Thiffault pushed Williamson to third base and Holden stole second, but Rob Davis was thrown out at first base while attempting to bunt for a single to end the game.
After allowing an unearned run in the fourth inning, Army grabbed a 2-1 lead with single scores in the fifth and sixth innings. Holden's fielder's choice groundout accounted for the Cadets' first run, while Nate Stone doubled and stole home for the go-ahead marker in the sixth.
Williamson, who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning, ripped three hits in his three plate appearances. Five different Army pitchers allowed just one unearned run over the first eight innings, before Bumgardner was touched for two Fairfield runs in the ninth.
"I was pleased with the way we battled back after falling behind in the top of the ninth inning," head coach Joe Sottolano said. "I thought we pitched well all day, and we made some big defensive plays to escape jams. We turned three double-plays and that was good to see from a defensive standpoint.
"We would like to have picked up the win, but this team showed a lot of
character fighting back in the last inning. John Hill came up very big for
us with his double to score the tying run. That was a huge hit at that point
of the game."
