TicketsEitel The Hero Of 9-8 Black Victory
Game four of series scheduled for Friday
Contact: Shawn Sell
11/18/2004
Erik Eitel had the game-winning hit during game three of UC's Red/Black World Series. |
CINCINNATI, Ohio---Erik Eitel?s two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning brought home the winning runs and gave the Black team a 9-8 victory in game three of the University of Cincinnati?s Red/Black World Series. The game three triumph gives Black a two games to one advantage heading into Friday?s game four.
Game three was a back and forth offensive slugfest that finished with a total of 35 hits. All but one of the 17 hitters that had plate appearances had at least one hit. Jack Nelson of the Red team led the way with four hits, while Mark Muscenti of the Black team had three. Eitel finished the night with three RBI, while Kevin Schrader, Jon DeLuca and Nelson all drove in two runs apiece.
As has become tradition during the series, the offensive show started early, as Black scored three times in the bottom of the first. Logan Parker got the scoring started when he singled to left to plate Eitel, before moving to second on the throw home. Kevin Schrader followed with a sacrifice fly that brought home Mark Haske for the game?s second run. Muscenti rounded out the inning?s scoring when he singled to score Parker.
The Black team added another marker to its lead in the second with Schrader again contributing an RBI. This time the freshman lined a single to left that brought home Haske to make it 4-0.
The Red team began its comeback in the top of the third when they cut the deficit to two runs with a pair of scores. The visiting team took advantage of a two-out error by Elliot Salcedo, getting its first run when Neall French picked up his first hit of the series, an RBI single to right. Jim Olds was the next hitter and he grounded an RBI single through the right side that brought home Nelson.
In the bottom of the third, the Black team added another run to its cushion, making it a 5-2 game on an Eitel sacrifice fly. The Red team came right back with two more runs when it came to the plate in the top of the fourth, once again making it a one-run ballgame. David Oberly, Pat LeMasters and DeLuca all singled, setting up Nelson for a sacrifice fly. The team got its second run of the frame when LeMasters scored on a throwing error by freshman catcher Dustin Alvey.
The scoring took a small break until the last of the sixth when Black drew to a 7-4 advantage with two more runs. Brian Beltz started the run with a sacrifice fly to right and Salcedo followed with a single to right center that plated Muscenti.
It appeared that the Red team would make the final charge to victory in the top of the seventh when they pushed across four runs to take its first lead at 8-7. LaFringe Hayes had the first big hit of the stanza when he grounded an RBI single through the right side. The Red team then rallied with two outs, thanks in large part to DeLuca. The junior third baseman banged a two-run double off the left field wall, and then moved to third on the throw to the plate. Nelson capped the inning with his fourth hit of the night, lining an opposite field RBI single to left.
But the Black team had one more comeback left in its tank, as they got to senior right-hander Kyle Markle for a pair of runs in the seventh. Schrader was hit by Markle?s first delivery and quickly moved to second on an Alvey sacrifice bunt. Muscenti then singled and both runners moved up. Markle then induced a Beltz strikeout, but Salcedo followed with a walk that loaded the bases. That set the stage for Eitel and his game-winning hit.
Mike Foley came on in the eighth inning and struck out the side to earn the save and preserve the Black team?s victory. Freshman Evan Sanford got the victory, despite being tagged for the four runs in the top of the seventh. Markle took the loss for the Red team.
Game four of the Red/Black World Series is set for Friday with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.