Franklin, Ind. – Freshman Trent Youngblood hit for the cycle in a prolific outing but the Franklin College Grizzlies outlasted the Transylvania baseball team in an 11-inning marathon as the Pioneers were downed, 15-14 on Tuesday evening at McDowell Field.
Playing their third game against one another in three days, Franklin came back from a four-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings against Transy before finding the game-winning run on a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning with one out.
Transylvania saw its record drop to 22-9 while Franklin moved to 16-9 on the season.
Both teams waged unceasing offensive exhibitions against one another with Youngblood accruing a historic performance in Franklin, accompanied by four Pioneer home runs in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings.
Youngblood's march towards the cycle began with a lead-off triple in the first inning, continued with a double to left centerfield in the second inning, a solo home run in the sixth inning, and finally a two-out single in the top of the ninth inning.
The teams combined for six home runs on the afternoon with the last one going to the Grizzlies on a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth with two outs to knot up the game at 14-14, erasing a four-run deficit from moments before.
Youngblood and Chastain raced across the plate in the first inning for the first two runs of the game and a 2-0 Pioneer lead. The Grizzlies countered with back-to-back three-run innings to curry a 6-2 lead after two innings of play. The Pioneers then showed off their power with home runs in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to battle back into the game and retake the lead over Franklin.
Nick Wade drove a two-run home run in the top of the third and Wade Lopiccolo provided the sequel with a two-run shot to left center in the top of the fourth, tying up the game at 6-6. Devyn Wilson-Cowan drove a straightaway two-run home run in the top of the fifth to put the Pioneers on top, 8-6. Youngblood's third piece of his cycle puzzle arrived in the top of the sixth inning en route to a 9-6 Transy lead.
Wade made it nine unanswered runs with his two-run single to left field later in the inning to put the Pioneers ahead at 11-6.
The Grizzlies used a potent bottom of the sixth inning to plate three runs, cutting the Pioneer lead to 11-9. The Pioneer advantage bent in the bottom of the eighth as the Grizzlies scored on a Transy error, cutting Transy's advantage to 11-10.
Transylvania appeared ready to quell the Franklin comeback as Wade left off the ninth with a single and advanced to third base on a Grizzly error. Wilson-Cowan drove home Wade with a triple and Griffin Hall later followed with a two-run single to strengthen the Pioneer lead to 14-10.
With two down in the bottom of the ninth and two runners on, the Grizzlies came up with the game-tying home run to send the game into extra innings where they would eventually seal up the win two innings later.
The teams combined for 27 hits on the day with the Pioneers mustering 16 hits.
Youngblood finished the day 4 for 7 at the plate; in a game with eight pitchers taking the mound for the Pioneers, the freshman was also the losing pitcher of record while leading all Pioneers in strikeouts with four, including retiring the Franklin side all on strikeouts in the 10th. The Pioneer cadre of pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts, 11 hits, 11 walks, and 11 earned runs allowed.
Five different Pioneers had multi-hit games on Tuesday while Transylvania produced seven extra-base hits. Riley Willbur went 3 for 5 while Wade went 3 for 6 with four RBI. Hudson Chastain went 2 for 4 at bat.
Transylvania is next in action on Saturday, May 1 against the Mount St. Joseph Lions at Legends Ballpark. The HCAC doubleheader begins at 12 noon; at the conclusion of the doubleheader, the Pioneers will pay homage to its 16 senior members during a postgame senior day celebration in Lexington.
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