WINGATE, N.C. – In what turned out to be the longest game in Division II this season and the longest game in Concord history since at least 2008, the Concord University baseball team was edged by Wingate 17-16 Tuesday night at Ron Christopher Stadium in a non-conference tilt.
An RBI single from WU's Bradley Brown with the bases loaded in the 17
th inning proved to be the game's winning run.
CU (7-6) jumped out to a 12-2 lead after five innings as they scored five runs in both the third and fifth inning, marking the fifth time in 13 games it has scored five or more runs in an inning this season.
The third inning outburst was showcased with a three-run triple from redshirt freshman infielder
Chad Frazier while junior shortstop
Brad Sullivan's single plated two of the five runs in the fifth as Frazier and junior infielder
Holt Cassada came home.
CU was still holding onto a 14-9 lead entering the bottom of the ninth, however, Wingate (17-8) rallied to score five runs and even the game at 14-14 after nine.
After the 28 combined runs in the first nine innings, both teams struggled to find hits and baserunners in extra innings as freshman pitcher
Reece Edwards provided six innings of relief to CU starter sophomore
Nate Werner.
At one point, Edwards retired 10 straight batters from the end of the ninth inning to the start of the 13
th. Furthermore, Edwards pitched six innings just one day after throwing three innings of relief versus Fairmont State.
It appeared the Mountain Lions were going to claim the win after a fielder's choice from junior outfielder
Andrew Seigel scored Sullivan and freshman outfielder
Andy Szamski in the 15
th inning, but the Bulldogs blasted a two-run home run in the bottom of the frame to force the 16
th.
Redshirt freshman pitcher
Damon Frazier (0-1) was able to escape a one-out bases loaded jam in the 16
th inning with back-to-back strikeouts, but was unable to repeat the performance in the 17
th as Wingate scored the winning run with two outs.
C. Frazier recorded a career-high four RBI while senior first baseman
Ryan Johnston and Sullivan each had two. Johnston and Sullivan also had three hits apiece.
CU will start a four-game set at Notre 12:00 p.m. Friday with two-seven inning contests.
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