Box Score Andrew Grutka's two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Moccasins a come-from-behind 7-6 win over Rollins Thursday night at the NCAA Division II South Regional at Tampa.
Grutka's hit brought the Moccasins back from a 6-4 deficit to notch their 40th win of the season and keep them in the winner's bracket of the tournament.
Trae Gore started the Mocs' ninth inning rally with one-out single. Colin Kaline followed with a single and Adam Miller pinch ran for him. After Kelvin Clark flied out to center for the second out of the inning, Wade Kirkland reached safely on an infield single to load the bases. Tyler Benzel's infield single scored Gore to tie the game, then Grutka hit a sinking line drive to right off a 2-2 pitch that Rollins' right fielder Joey Manning wasn't able to catch, allowing Miller and Kirkland to score the tying and winning runs.
Daniel Tillman got the win in relief to even his record at 2-2. Gus Schlosser worked the first seven innings, going against Sunshine State Conference Pitcher of the Year Tim Griffin, who took the loss, dropping his record to 11-3.
After Rollins scored two in the first and the Moccasins scored one, the score remained that way until the Moccasins scored three in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-2 lead. Grutka was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run, then Tony Mitchell delivered a two-out, two-run single.
The lead didn't last long, however, as the Tars (38-18) answered with three runs in the top of the seventh to re-gain the lead and then added a run in the top of the ninth before the Moccasins (40-14) staged their heroics in the bottom of the inning.
Gore and Benzel each had three of the Moccasins' 14 hits.
The Moccasin victory allowed all four of the higher seeded teams advance in the winner's bracket. Valdosta State beat West Florida 6-3, Tampa topped Florida Tech 7-1 and Southern Akansas downed Albay State 6-1. Thursday night's win sends the Moccasins against top-seeded Southern Arkansas at 7:45 p.m. Friday. Valdosta State and Tampa play at 4:30 in the other winners' bracket game. In the losers' bracket, West Florida and Florida Tech square off at 10 a.m. and Albany State takes on Rollins at 1:15 p.m.
A video/audio webcast of the Moccasins' game will be available at http://tampaspartans.com/article.asp?articleID=2205
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