Late Night Heroics

Truman 13, Indianapolis 12 (10 Innings) || Box Score

2014 Schedule || 2014 Season Stats || Truman Record: 26-27 (18-18 GLVC)

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A four-hour rain delay and a seven-run deficit turned into a 13-12 extra inning Bulldog win on Friday night over the University of Indianapolis at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship Tournament. Truman will face Drury (Mo.) at 3:00 p.m. Saturday as one of four teams remaining in the tournament.

The wild affair ended eight hours after it began and in wild fashion. With Truman trailing 12-11 in the bottom of the tenth, Blake Deaton collected his fourth it of the game to score pinch runner Tyler Hill with the tying run and after getting to third on a single by Adam Bainbridge, Deaton scored the winning run when junior pitcher Brett Collins committed a balk.

Deaton drove in four runs while going 4-for-6 and scored each time. Paul Trenhaile was also 4-for-6 at the plate, including a triple in the fifth inning.

The Bulldogs jumped on the Greyhounds with two runs in the bottom of the first. Indianapolis was reeling a bit from watching a three-run lead evaporate in the top of the ninth against Drury an hour earlier sending them into this elimination game.

The Greyhounds scored to make it 2-1 in the second before the skies opened up and rain fell in the Evansville area. The game was delayed for four hours and Indianapolis tied it coming out of the break on a two-out double in the third.

Under the lights now, the Greyhounds pounded out five hits and scored five times in the sixth to go up 7-2 on the Bulldogs. Deaton singled, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and came in on Zak Larkin's single to get a run back only to watch the 'Hounds score three more times to lead 10-3 after the top of the seventh.

The comeback began when Jarod Hahn drew a lead-off walk and Kyle Smith and Dave Gambino followed with hits. Deaton drove in two with a hit to left and Wyatt Fones drove in Gambino with a single. Deaton scored the fourth run after Will Nader struck out and the ball got away to cut the lead to 10-7.

Indianapolis tacked on a run in the eighth to lead 11-7.

In their half of the eighth, Trenhaile reached on a single to left and Hahn walked. Two straight strikeouts calmed the nerves in the Indianapolis' dugout but Deaton again delievered with a clutch single scoring Trenhaile.

A wild pitch brought in Hahn to cut the lead to 11-9 and Fones singled to left scoring Deaton to bring the 'Dogs to within one. A throwing error by the third baseman allowed pinch runner T.J. Wood to score from second to tie the game at 11.

Indianapolis stranded two in the ninth and the Bulldogs went quietly in their half.

A two-out single by Dan Eliopulos scored Joe Trennepohl to put the Greyhounds back on top 12-11 in the 10th.

Gambino reached on a one-out error and Tyler Hill pinch ran. Hill stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch to set up Deaton's heroics again. Deaton singled in Hill to tie the game then scored on the balk.

Tyler McCreary got the win in relief, pitching two-plus innings of work. He was the fifth Bulldog pitcher of the game.
Truman will now face Drury in an elimination game at 3:00 p.m. If the 'Dogs can win, they would force another game on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. for a chance to reach the finals.

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