CARY, NC – The William Peace Baseball Team clinched their first series win in program history this afternoon, taking down Piedmont for the second day in a row. The Pacers collected a season best 14 hits and went on to win, 8-7, in 10 innings.
Chase Roupp (1-3) picked up the win in relief, giving up one run on one hit in the final two innings. Wes Dumford started on the mound, allowing four earned in eight inning of work. Jacob Ennis paced the offense, turning in a 4-for-5 day at the plate, while Trey Hathaway went 3-for-4 with a run scored. JT Howington added two hits, two RBIs and a run scored.
Josh Thomas (4-1) was pinned with the loss. Tyler Marcinko and Casey Parham led Piedmont at the plate with three hits apiece.
WPU plated a pair in the first inning, as Tyler Klinedinst started things off with a double to left center and came home on Braxton Lamm's infield hit after the third baseman threw it away. Howington drove Lamm in with RBI single to left.
Piedmont put up a four spot in the top of the second, but Hunter Allen singled and scored in the bottom half of the inning, and then the Pacers recaptured the lead (5-4) with two more runs in the third. Lamm reached base thanks to an error committed by the shortstop and eventually scored on Trevor Nanney's bunt single. Howington walked and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Allen.
The Pacers added an insurance run in the fourth, as Hathaway singled to lead off and scored on a Christian Neal RBI single up the middle. Piedmont chipped away though, scoring single runs in the sixth, seventh and another in the ninth to go back on top, 7-6.
With two outs and runners on second and third in the bottom of the ninth, Howington came through again with a base knock up the middle that should have ended the game. Pinch runner Brian Willis scored from third, but Klinedinst was called out at the plate, despite clearly sliding in under the tag.
Fortunately, the Pacers came back in the 10th inning and got the job done. Ennis singled to lead off, Nanney was plunked and Nick Cole was intentionally walked to load the bases. Travis Arthur lifted a fly ball to right, which was deep enough for pinch runner Nick Corey to tag up and score the winning run.
WPU will be back at the USA Baseball National Training Complex tomorrow for the series finale. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.
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