Beckley, West Virginia – West Virginia Tech University and Indiana University at Kokomo played a baseball game for the ages on Friday afternoon at Linda K Epling Stadium, with the Golden Bears rallying for the third time in a 12-11 Ruver States Conference victory.
Cody Cooper delivered a one out single in the bottom of the tenth inning to score pinch runner Carson Brown( Independence High) from second base to cap off one of the most improbable victories in recent history.
The visiting Cougars (11-8 RSC, 15-19 overall) took leads of 6-3, 9-5, and 11-9 across the three hours and 47 minutes of baseball, yet the Golden Bears found a way to claw back against all odds.
West Virginia Tech lost starting catcher Angel Leiva to an illness after a red hot 2 for 2 start, which included a double and 2 RBI. Leiva joined Head Coach Lawrence Nesselrodt on the sidelines as the long-time Skipper was forced to sit out one game after a recent ejection at Pikeville University.
Mason Everhart slid the catchers gear on to relieve Leiva and local legend Joe Goddard went from being the bench coach to the man with the plan.
After jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead built around the Leiva double, WVU-T watched the visitors post back to back three run innings in the third and fourth innings. IU – Kokomo rode a baseball rarity to spark the surge, hitting three triples in the rally.
The first Golden Bears rally happened when Beckley native, Maddex Sims, started a two out rally in the bottom of the fourth with a home run.Gabe Templeton and Jacob Tompkins followed with consecutive doubles to trim the deficit to 6-5.
The game took a twist in the middle innings as the pitchers regained control as the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings saw just one run scored. Luke Richards was finally able to make his season debut after a question about eligibility, and the lanky left-hander contributed in his inning plus of work, recording two strike outs.
In the top of the eighth inning, the first three Cougars reached base, and the two runs scored pushed the deficit out to 9-5. The game appeared to be on the way to another close but no cigar effort until Carson Crigger stepped in the box to pinch hit in the bottom of the eighth. Brayden Kiblinger reached on an error and scored on a double by Tompkins to make it 9-6, and Crigger launched a 3-run shot to tie the score at 9-9.
Both teams had base runners in the ninth inning, but neither side broke through with the winning run. The top of the tenth saw IU – Kokomo capitalize on a rare Golden Bear misque to take an 11-9 lead, and for the third time, the Golden Bears refused to surrender.
Gabe Templeton reached base with a hit by pitch, and Tompkins followed with his third base hit to set the stage. One out later, Reece Patterson, the third catcher of the Day, sent a line drive to left center. The left fielder chose to attempt a diving grab that would have been a Sportscenter type play. The ball bounced off his glove and kicked away from both fielders, allowing the tying runs to score and left Patterson standing on second base.
Brown headed out to run, and he beat the throw home on the single from Cooper, by the narrowest of margins, sending the team and the fans into celebration mode.
Aidan McGlothlin earned the win in relief, thanks in part to his Narrows High School teammate, Crigger.
Nesselrodt could not have been prouder of the effort that his team displayed, and it showed in his thoughts post game.
” We pulled together as a team and played with the heart of a champion today,” Nesselrodt said. ” That was a very talented team that we kept chasing down, and it has me excited about playing two more games tomorrow. “
Nesselrodt, who had been years without missing a game, will be back in the saddle at Noon on Saturday when the two teams return to Linda K Epling Stadium for a doubleheader.
A.S.P.N on The Hill 