NASHVILLE – In a Sunday afternoon rubber match between Villanova University and Lipscomb University, the Wildcats used a seventh inning grand slam and a go-ahead single in the ninth to hold off the Bisons, 7-6, and win the series inside Ken Dugan Field.
Final Score: Villanova 7, Lipscomb 6
Location: Ken Dugan Field
Records: Lipscomb (3-8), Villanova (6-4)
HOW IT HAPPENED
After Villanova scored two runs on back-to-back RBI singles, Lipscomb responded in a loud way to start the bottom half of the inning. On a 3-1 count,
Ryan Austin sent an opposite-field home run down the left field line to lead off the inning.
After a
Brady Miller knock,
Jake Berg drove in home on a double to tie things up at two runs apiece. Next up,
David Coppedge made it a 3-2 lead with his RBI knock through the right side.
In the next half inning, starter
Tanner Lyne was able to get a little help from the defense. After a lead off single, a 5-4-3 double play started by Coppedge quickly changed the tune for the Wildcats' bats.
Ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth, after
Kai Holm reached on a base knock to left center and Austin at the plate, the duo put together the perfect hit-and-run. Austin laced a single and it was able to see Austin scamper to the plate ahead of the throw to give the Bisons the 4-2 lead.
Lyne came back out in the fourth and shut down the Wildcats 2-3-4 hitters in order to get the bats back up there for the Bisons, and they did not disappoint. Berg led off the inning with a double, and thanks to a little A-B-C baseball, Coppedge moved him over to third on a foulout and
Damion Kenealy Jr. brought him home on a groundout to make it a 5-2 lead.
Fast forward to the seventh. After
Jace Trautner worked around a two-out in the six, he saw himself in hot water with a walk, single and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Jason Neff flipped the scoreboard, and momentum, to Villanova's side of the dugout, as a 404-foot grand slam to straight away center field made it a 6-5 score in favor of the visitors.
In the bottom of the eighth, after a
Jacob Tobias hit by pitch, a sac bunt, walk and double steal later saw Miller bring him in on a sac fly to even the score at six.
After
Kaleb Kantola got two quick outs in the ninth, a walk to John Freitac, plus a stolen base by pinch runner Jojo Montgomery, and a Brayden Leonard RBI knock gave the Wildcats the lead for good, 7-6.
Lipscomb saw Coppedge reach with one out in the bottom half of the ninth, but a two outs in the air saw Villanova clinch the series.
KEY STATISTICS
David Coppedge posted his fourth multi-hit game in the young season and his first three-hit effort on Sunday. He tallied two singles and a double and drove in an RBI.
The bottom of the lineup was making waves, as the 7-8-9 hitters each reach base and scored in the early goings.
Ryan Austin, who went 2-for-2 on the day, and he launched his first home run of the season.
Brady Miller also added a hit, a run and an RBI.
Tanner Lyne earned the no-decision but allowed two earned runs in five innings pitched.
UP NEXT
The 12-game home stand wraps up with a midweek bout with Western Michigan on Tuesday afternoon.
