Box Score

WINTER HAVEN, FL – The Gallaudet University baseball team scored four runs in the bottom of the 11th inning to win 11-10 against Rowan University on Wednesday night at Chain of Lakes Stadium.

The Bison tied the score at seven with one run in the bottom of the ninth inning.  After a scoreless 10th inning, the Profs went up 10-7 in the top of the 11th.  Second baseman Mark Benak (jr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) got on base with a walk and he later scored on a single by first baseman Sean Kelly (sr. North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) at bat.  Benak went to second on a wild pitch and stole third.  Center fielder Eric Perez (jr. Fords, NJ/Woodbridge) singled in Kelly.  Third baseman Kevin McMenamin (so. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) came home on a fielding error. 

For Gallaudet, shortstop Tommy Barksdale drove in two runs with a double in the 11th inning.  Center fielder William Bissell recorded the game-winning hit that scored the tying and winning runs.  The Bison improve to 7-10 on the season while the Profs are 8-4 overall. 

Benak ended the game with two hits (double and triple), two RBIs and two runs scored.  Kelly was two for six at the plate with two RBIs and one run scored.  Perez contributed with four hits in five at bats, a double, one RBI and one run scored.  Left fielder Rich Powelson (so. Shamong, NJ/Seneca) went three for six with one RBI and two runs scored.  Catcher C.J. Szymczak (sr. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) contributed with two hits (five at bats) and one run scored. 

Gallaudet had a 6-0 lead after scoring three runs in the first and second innings.  Rowan got on the scoreboard with two runs in the third.  Benak knocked in shortstop Ryan Williams (so. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) and Powelson with a triple.  The Profs trailed 6-4 after two runs in the sixth inning.  Perez crossed the plate on right fielder Eric Sellitto’s (jr. Medford, NJ/Shawnee) sacrifice fly and pinch hitter Connor Grant (jr. Shrewsbury, NJ/Red Bank Reg.) had a base hit, scoring Szymczak.    

Rowan knotted the score at six in the seventh inning.  Kelly drove in Powelson with a single and Benak came home on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Ryan Easterday (so. Westmont, NJ/Haddon Twp.).  Powelson’s RBI base hit put Rowan ahead 7-6 in the eighth inning.  Gallaudet sent the game into extra innings when first baseman Jeremy Adams scored in the ninth.  Pinch hitter Peter LoDuca had the single that scored Adams.     

Next, Rowan meets Washington & Jefferson College on Thursday, March 21 at 3 p.m.  The game will be played at Chain of Lakes Field in Winter Haven.