All season long, the Elon University baseball team has struggled in the late innings. Tuesday night was no different, as the Phoenix headed to the bottom of the ninth leading the host East Carolina University Pirates 5-3. Before the Phoenix could record the final three outs, the Pirates plated five runs, including a three-run walk off home run, to take an 8-5 victory.

Elon struck first in the contest with an RBI single by sophomore designated hitter Chris King in the second inning that scored sophomore third baseman Joey Tomko.

Senior pitcher Andrew MacDonald, typically a reliever, made his first start of the 2013 campaign on the mound and worked two shutout innings.

The Pirates were able to tie the contest against sophomore pitcher John Antonelli in the fourth on an RBI groundout that was set up by a passed ball, rendering the run unearned.

Two more runs scored for the Pirates in the sixth and seventh innings before Elon regained the lead in the eighth courtesy of clutch hitting from junior first baseman Ryan Kinsella. Sophomore left fielder Blaine Bower led off the inning hit by a pitch. He was followed by his twin brother, sophomore center fielder Quinn Bower, drawing a walk. After a strikeout, Kinsella promptly deposited a pitch over the right field fence to give Elon a 4-3 lead. The blast was Kinsella’s 17th of the 2013 season, good for second in all of NCAA Div. I.

Elon grabbed an insurance run in the ninth when junior second baseman Sebastian Gomez singled home Jones, giving senior pitcher Nate Young a two-run cushion.

Young got two quick outs before the Pirates staged a remarkable two-out rally.  Junior shortstop Jack Reinheimer drew a walk, followed by a single from junior designated hitter Drew Reynolds. Junior third baseman Zach Houchins hit a 2-RBI double to tie the contest, enough to chase Young from the game. Junior Jacob Baker took over and walked the only batter he faced, sophomore pinch hitter Nick Thompson. Freshman Tyler Manez was brought in to try and record the third out, but the lone batter he faced, junior left fielder Ben Fultz, had other ideas. Fultz hit a three-run home run to right field and the Pirates went home 8-5 winners.

Manez’s loss dropped him to 1-3 on the season. Elon fell to 22-21 overall and will travel to Statesboro, Ga. for a three-game weekend series with Georgia Southern University beginning Friday. The Phoenix and Eagles will get underway at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night.