DELAND, Fla. – After playing 14 innings and over five hours of baseball on Friday night into Saturday morning, Lipscomb University and the University of North Alabama, playing for the eighth time this season, played a second straight extra-inning game to decide who would win the Atlantic Sun Conference. Thankfully, on Saturday afternoon, it only took 10, as a walk-off base on balls by
Kai Holm secured the 5-4 victory for the Bisons from Melching Field at Conrad Park.
This victory marked a significant achievement for Lipscomb, as they won their fourth Atlantic Sun Conference Tourney Championship, all under 20-year head coach
Jeff Forehand.
Final Score: Lipscomb 5, North Alabama 4 (10 innings)
Location: DeLand, Florida (Melching Field at Conrad Park)
Records: Lipscomb (29-24), North Alabama (30-28)
HOW IT HAPPENED
North Alabama took an early lead in the first inning with a pair of RBI singles from Nash Rippen and Will Millard. The Bisons responded in the bottom of the first with
Hutson Miles singling and
Aaron Stelogeannis doubling, setting up an RBI walk by
Jordan Thomas. A sacrifice fly by
Kai Holm then brought home Stelogeannis, leveling the score at 2-2 after the first inning.
In the third inning, the Bisons edged ahead when
Cam Pruitt singled to center field, driving in Miles who had doubled earlier in the inning. Lipscomb led 3-2 at the end of the third inning.
North Alabama tied the game in the fourth inning when Cayden Sheffield entered as a pinch hitter and delivered an RBI single down the right field line. The score was 3-3 through four innings.
The game remained tied until the eighth inning when North Alabama took the lead with an RBI single by Sheffield, scoring Justin Santoyo. North Alabama led 4-3 after the eighth inning.
The Bisons evened the score in the ninth inning.
Blake Carter singled and was replaced by pinch runner
Eric Harper, who later scored on a fielding error by the center fielder off the bat of
Brock Beddingfield. The game was tied 4-4 going into extra innings.
A decisive sequence unfolded in the 10th inning as the Bisons clinched victory with a bases-loaded walk. Stelogeannis ignited the rally with a single to right center, advancing to third on a failed pickoff attempt. With the bases loaded after
Cam Pruitt and
Jordan Thomas reached via walk, Holm drew a full-count walk, forcing in Stelogeannis for the walk-off win.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Carter White, North Florida
Jeremy Comer, Florida Gulf Coast
Dylan Coleman, North Alabama
Nash Rippen, North Alabama
Wes Walker, North Alabama
Tripp Patterson, North Alabama
Kai Holm, Lipscomb
Kaleb Kantola, Lipscomb
Hutson Miles, Lipscomb
Adam Jamison, Lipscomb
Cam Pruitt (MVP), Lipscomb
KEY STATISTICS
Hutson Miles posted his second three-hit game in as many days with two runs scored.
Kai Holm, who walked seven times in the tournament, posted two RBI on the day, while
Blake Carter,
Aaron Stelogeannis and
Cam Pruitt all had two hits each.
Mack Mabrey came out of the bullpen firing four strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched, while
Caden Shanks tossed 3.2 innings of one-run ball with three punch outs to earn the win in relief.
UP NEXT
Lipscomb, after earning the Automatic Qualifier to the NCAA Tournament, will now await their next opponent and regional site. The selection show will take place on Monday at 11 a.m. CDT on ESPN2.
