NASHVILLE - In a heart-stopping moment, Mason Lundgrin stepped up in the bottom of the 10th inning, delivering a walk-off single that sealed the victory for the Bisons, who defeated Eastern Kentucky (10-27, 7-8 ASUN) Friday night 9-8 in game one of the series.

The Bisons battled back from a 7-0 deficit to edge out the Colonels led by Austin Kelly, who had a three-home run outing. The win was the start of a significant series for the Bisons, as they entered the weekend tied for 6th with Eastern Kentucky in the ASUN standings. 

A triple down the right field line put the Colones on the board first in the series opener. A grounded out to third, which scored another, giving Eastern Kentucky a 2-0 lead in their first at-bats. 

The Colonels struck again in the second with an RBI single to left field and then a two-run jack to take a 5-0 lead. Eastern Kentucky brought home two more in the top of the third on a double down the left field line and then a sacrifice fly to center field to go up 7-0 on the Bisons. 

Alex Vergara sparked the comeback in the third inning with a solo home run to center field for the Bisons' first run of the night. Three batters later, Austin Kelly belted his first home run of the day, a two-run shot to close out a three-run third frame. 

Lipscomb's pitching and defense were stout in the middle innings. They held the Colonels, who scored seven runs on ten hits in the first three innings, scoreless for four straight frames, which gave the Bisons' offense a chance at the comeback. 

Austin Kelly connected on his second two-run blast of the night in the sixth inning to draw the Bisons within two. Then, in the next frame, Kelly went for his third bomb, a three-run shot to the right center to give the Bisons a one-run lead. 

Eastern Kentucky evened the score in the eighth on an RBi single to left center and managed to force extra innings despite the Bisons putting runners at the corners with two outs, but the Bisons would not be denied in the 10th.

David Coppedge led things off with a single to shortstop. Adam Fallon then reached on a sacrifice bunt, and an error on the catch by the shortstop allowed Kyle Hetherington, who pinch-ran for Coppedge, to slide in safely. 

Vergara walked in his at-bat, which allowed Lundgrin to send the Bisons home with no outs and the bases loaded. Lundgrin delivered in the big moment with a walk-off single through the right side to give Lipscomb a 9-8 victory in the series opener. 

POSTGAME NOTES

• Austin Kelly hit three home runs on Friday. The last player to do so was Alex Vergara in the ASUN Championship Final against FGCU last season.
• RHP Collin Witzke earned the win on the mound after throwing for two innings and allowing just one hit with four strikeouts. 
• LHP Michael Dunkelberger pitched effectively in his four innings of relief work, allowing just three hits with two strikeouts. 
• Five Bisons had multi-hit outings, led by Kelly with seventh RBI. 

UP NEXT
The Bisons will go for the series win over the Colonels at Ken Dugan Field tomorrow, Saturday, April 20, at 2 p.m. CT. For more information on Bisons Baseball, visit lipscombsports.com or follow the team's social media accounts (@lipscombbaseball on IG and @BisonBaseball on X).