Final Score: Lipscomb: 4, Jacksonville: 3
Location: DeLand, Fla. (Melching Field at Conrad Park) 
Records: Lipscomb: (34-24, 23-7 ASUN), Jacksonville (33-24, 17-13 ASUN)

HOW IT HAPPENED 

After a lengthy weather delay that paused play in the top of the sixth inning, Lipscomb's defense and pitching lifted the Bisons over Jacksonville to punch their ticket to the ASUN Championship semifinal for the second straight season. The Bisons prevailed in a 4-3 decision in a win or go home scenario for both squads. 

Caleb Ketchup led the opening at-bats of the game with a double down the left-field line and then stole third in the next at-bat. Mason Lundgrin then walk, and Trace Willhoite reached on a fielder's choice to score Ketchup for the first run of the day.

Jacksonville answered with three runs in the third frame on two doubles and a single to right field. After giving up the three spot in the second, Logan Van Treeck settled in, shutting out the Dolphins in the subsequent three innings on the hilll before the weather delay.

Prior to the stoppade, the Bisons got their bats going in the fourth inning. Trace Willhoite torched the first pitch he saw to bring the Bisons within a score (3-2). After a flyout and a hit batter, David Coppedge singled to left center to score Austin Kelly, who reached on a double after the homer. The final run of the three-run set came on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded to give Lipscomb a 4-3 edge. 

Heavy rain began to poor down shortly after, forcing the contest into a weather delay with one out in the sixth inning at 10:53 CT. The delay lasted until 2:15 ET before play resumed where Ethan Smith picking up where Van Treeck left off in the sixth.

Smith secured the final two out of the frame and gave the reigns over to Hayden Frank, who pitched two scoreless innings. But, Caleb Ketchup made what wound up being the play of the game and perhaps the season with a leaping grab in the eighth inning to save a hit and a potential run to end the threat and strand a runner at second.

Lipscomb couldn't add insurance runs but relied on their arms and defense to finish the job. Braydon Tucker was called up to collect the final three outs. Tucker forced a ground out to open the frame. Jacksonville then singled twice to put runners on first and second. A ground out to first base advanced both runners to scoring position, but with two out, Tucker forced the final batter into a routine grounder to second, resulting in a win to keep their season alive.

HERD NOTES:

• Lipscomb held the Dolphins scoreless after the second frame.
• Van Treeck earned the win, his eighth of the season, and pitched 5.1 innings with four strikeouts. 
• Smith, Frank, and Tucker combined to throw three and two-thirds innings allowing just two hits with a strikeout. 

UP NEXT
The Bisons will take on the loser of the FGCU vs. Liberty contest in ASUN Championship second semifinal matchup tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. CT.