The Omnibus

Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Kelley Flowers Senior Chris Martinez went 4-5 with two homers and five RBI's in SBU's 18-17 come-from-behind victory.

The Southwest Baptist baseball team ran into a red-hot Fort Hays State team last weekend. The Tigers came off a stretch in which they took three of four games from Central Missouri and played two one-run games with nationally ranked Nebraksa-Omaha. The Bearcats did what they could to slow down Fort Hays State, but outside of one of the wildest games anyone will ever see, they did not have much luck.
"Fort Hays is a good hitting team," said SBU Head Coach Sam Berg. "They are similar to Emporia State in that up and down the line-up, they hit. Our pitchers didn't make the best pitches location-wise and give them credit. When we made mistakes, they hit them."
In the first game of the series, Fort Hays State jumped out to a 10-0 lead after three innings. That quick lead proved to be more than enough for Tiger starter Brian Thompson as the Bearcats could not manage much offense outside of a two-run homer by senior Brad Mountjoy.
After the first three and a half innings in the second game of the series, Fort Hays held a 5-0 lead and looked poised to run away with the second half of the double-header like they had done in the first game. However, the SBU offense had a reply this time putting up four runs in the home half of the fourth thanks to two-RBI doubles from juniors John Cobb and Jason Asher.
With the Tigers leading 5-4, the teams exchanged runs in the fifth before Fort Hays State scored a pair in the sixth that was answered with a three spot from SBU.
Tied at 8-8, the Bearcats took control of the game by holding the Tigers scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings while they built a four-run lead thanks to home runs from junior Kyle Griffin and senior Chris Martinez.
Going into the top of the ninth, the Bearcats had their closer on the mound, junior Bobby McMillin, and a four run lead.
McMillin retired the first batter of the ninth on a pop up to second before the trouble ensued. After the first hitter, McMillin hit the next batter. The Bearcats committed an error on a possible double-play ball, and then McMillin hit another batter. With the bases loaded and the 'Cats seemingly trying to give the game away, the Tigers took advantage by collecting six hits in the inning on their way to an enormous nine-run frame.

Continued...

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