JACKSON, Tenn. (5/5) - MMC baseball fought to a 4-3, 10-inning win on Thursday night, continuing to advance in the TranSouth Conference Championships with the defeat of Trevecca Nazarene University. TSAC Player of the Year
Travis Garcia (Senior/Nolensville, Tenn.) went the distance for the RedHawks on the hill, pulling out the complete game victory.
When TNU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, MMC retaliated with a three-spot in the bottom of the frame. Matt Franklin (Junior/Goodlettsville, Tenn.) laced a one-out double down the left field line, followed by a Mike Gizewski (Senior/Lake Worth, Fla.) single down the opposite line that scored Franklin from first to knot the game. Second baseman Jordan Hedges (Senior/Centerville, Tenn.) then took the matter into his hands with a long shot on the first pitch of his at-bat to allow MMC to take the advantage, 3-1.
The Trojans inched towards the lead with a run in the third off of a walk and a double, but from then on, it was scoreless ball from both pitchers. Through the seventh inning, there were only two hits, both from RedHawks. It was the top of the eighth, however, when an error and a base hit placed another Trojan run on the board to deadlock at 3-3.
Garcia struck out the side in the top of the ninth, and the MMC offense was unsuccessful in the bottom part of the inning. Forcing a tenth inning, the RedHawk defense went to work and used three quick outs to trade their gloves for bats. Hedges led off with a single, bringing in pinch runner Ryan Jett (Sophomore/Nolensville, Tenn.), who advanced on Justin McQueen's (Junior/) sacrifice bunt. An out later, Garcia was put on intentionally, bringing centerfielder Tony Allen (Junior/Shelbyville, Tenn.) to the batter's box. With two outs, Allen, who went 3-for-4 in the game, produced a clutch walk-off single that scored Jett and clinched the win for MMC.
The RedHawks face Bethel University on Friday night at 7pm, and will indefinitely play on Saturday, as the only current undefeated team left in the bracket.
