No Mike Kennedy, no problem. The Elon University head baseball coach missed Tuesday night's game against North Carolina A&T State University due to an ejection last week, but the Phoenix still managed to pull out an 8-7 win over the visiting Aggies.
The win did not come easy for Elon. The Phoenix went into the ninth inning with a 5-3 lead and gave up four runs, only to score two of their own in the bottom of the ninth to force a tenth frame. Even then, some inconsistent pitching was needed to win.
“Every win is a very good win,” Elon acting head coach Greg Starbuck said after the game. “We didn’t quit, we battled back, had some good at bats. If I had to take anything positive, it’s that.”
Junior pitcher Ryan Pennell and senior pitcher Andrew MacDonald coughed up four runs in the ninth inning off of two hits, two walks and a costly error from junior first baseman Ryan Kinsella.
Elon was determined not to go quietly, though. Freshman third baseman Danny Lynch hit a one out double in the ninth, followed by an infield single from sophomore center fielder Quinn Bower. A wild pitch allowed Lynch to score and cut the deficit to one run. Sophomore right fielder Casey Jones came up and hit a sacrifice fly that scored Bower to tie the game.
“It was pretty wacky,” Bower said. “We just don’t give up, we try to fight back. We try and fight for every win that we can get.”
For the tenth, Starbuck called upon a weekend starter - senior Spencer Medick - to take the hill.
“This is Medick’s bullpen day,” Starbuck said. “We use him as emergency. Today, that’s what happened. He’s not going to throw until Sunday this week, it worked out good.”
Medick struck out two and picked off a third batter in the frame. Then, Elon went to work in the bottom of the tenth with two outs. Senior pitcher Tim Jones and junior pitcher Dustin Myers combined to walk the bases loaded for the Aggies and Bower came up with a shot to win the game.
Bower hit a bouncing infield single to score junior second baseman Wil Leathers and end the game.
“It was huge that everyone got on base,” Bower said. “Everyone worked hard at bats. I just got lucky and just put one in play. Everyone stayed focused.”
Freshman pitcher Brandon Kacer started the game for Elon, but only lasted an inning and walked four. He left the game responsible for three runs. Following three innings by freshman Tyler Manez, junior Jacob Baker took over.
Baker turned in one of his finest outings of his season, a six-strikeout performance in which he allowed one hit and one walk in four innings of shutout relief.
“The past two times I’ve been out there I’ve been able to fill the zone much better than I have all season,” Baker said. “As I came in, the guys weren’t really hitting the fastball and I just tried to throw it in the zone.”
“With Baker, that’s two times in a row,” Starbuck said. “The last two outings out of the bullpen, he’s been outstanding.”
While Baker was cruising, Kinsella hit his 18th home run of the season - a two-run shot in the seventh inning. Kinsella and Bower were the only two Phoenix players with two hits in the game, and both had a pair of RBI as well.
Medick picked up the victory to improve to 6-5 on the season and Elon upped its record to 25-26 overall.
The Phoenix (and Kennedy) will be back at Latham Park Friday May 10 for their final conference set against the Samford University Bulldogs. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday as senior Nate Young is expected to make his first start of the season on the mound.