JACKSON, Tenn. – There are some games in a program's history that are talked about for countless years. Thursday afternoon at Rockabilly Park in Jackson, Tennessee was that game for the ABAC Stallions baseball team.
After trailing at one point 21-10, ABAC methodically cut into the lead over the last several innings and found themselves tied 23-23 entering the bottom of the ninth. With two outs, right fielder
Dylan Davis scorched a shot off the leg of Mobile pitcher Isidro Jimenez. Jimenez scrambled toward the third base line, grabbed the ball and made a desperate heave to first but Davis easily beat the throw for an infield single as pinch runner
Cooper Scruggs raced home with the winning run in a 24-23 miracle.
The win sets ABAC up for a chance Friday to earn a berth in the SSAC Championship game on Saturday if the Stallions can defeat Loyola (La.) in their matchup at 9 a.m. CDT. Loyola was upset Thursday morning by Thomas University 8-4. If ABAC falls against the Wolfpack, their tournament run will likely be done. Even if there is a three-way tie in pool play between ABAC, Loyola, and Thomas, the first tiebreaker eliminator is runs allowed and the Stallions would be out unless Thomas allows an inordinate number of runs while still beating Mobile tomorrow.
But before discussion about "what ifs" begins, an examination of Thursday's extraordinary rally is warranted. The game not only featured 47 combined runs, but 53 total hits in 106 at-bats, 16 extra-base hits, and 15 pitchers. It was a baseball purist's nightmare but a lot of fun for a crowd that had a blended fan base representing all eight teams playing in the tournament. And each of them were on the edge of their seats at the end.
ABAC took an early 6-1 lead after two innings before Mobile put together an inning for the ages, scoring 12 runs on nine hits to take a 13-6 lead. The Rams added three more in the top of the fourth and the discussion was more about a mercy rule than a comeback. But the Stallions kept hitting. One run in the fourth, three more in the fifth, a pair in the sixth and four more in the seventh cut Mobile's lead to 21-16 entering the eighth inning.
With two outs, Mobile got a single, a double and a walk to load the bases. But Nicolaas Milbrant took the mound as ABAC's fifth pitcher and got a ground ball for an easy out at second to end the threat.
In the bottom of the inning, ABAC caught up. Braydon Fordham reached first on Mobile's fourth error of the day (the Stallions were error-free) before Mobile quickly recorded a pair of outs. Then, Fordham moved up a base on a wild pitch and scored on
Chasin Cash's single.
Harrison Childers and
Parker Wallace each singled to load the bases before Quentin Rawls and Davis drew walks to score two more, making it 31-19. The walks proved costly in more ways than one as they allowed Cris Walley to bat and hit a moon shot off Mobile's Landon Montgomery that sailed over the right field fence for a grand slam and Walley's 18
th home run of the year. And with that mighty swing, the Stallions were in front again.
But the drama was far from over. Mobile showed their grit in the ninth when Bryce Eddington doubled in a run and ABAC's
Lalan Ellis hit Colton Wood with a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the game at 23-23. ABAC brought in
Owen Lamb as its seventh pitcher of the day and he got an infield fly and a strikeout to slam the door on the Rams.
And that set up the unforgettable ninth.
Harrison Childers had a one-out double and was replaced on the basepaths by Scruggs. Scruggs got third on a wild pitch, Rawls and walked and stole second and Davis, who entered the game when starting right fielder
Joe Cooney suffered an injury earlier in the game, delivered the hard shot that Jimenez couldn't turn into an out.
Offensive heroes? There were many. Childers was 6-for-6 and scored four runs. Wallace had his second three-hit games in as many days. Rawls, Walley, Fisher, and Cash also all had three hits. By getting the last two outs, Lamb was credited with he win which moved his record to 5-0 this year.
