BREVARD, N.C.- Down by as many as eight runs, Brevard capped off a furious comeback to beat Montreat 10-9 on a walk-off hit from Joseph Nelms. The win over the Cavaliers marks the team's fourth straight and third by virtue of a walk-off hit this season for the Tornados.
Brevard (6-15) completed its come-from-behind victory by scoring five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning after entering the inning down 9-5. With three runners already on base and one out, Christian Ezzell was able to bring in a run one an error from Montreat shortstop Caleb Talton to cut the deficit to three runs.
Immediately following Ezzell, Ryan Roon delivered a three-RBI double that hugged the left field line to tie the game at nine. With Nelms facing an 0-2 count, the sophomore placed his hit in shallow center field to score Roon from second base.
Ezzell led all batters in the game with four RBI, which included a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to make the score 9-5. Roon was second among all batters with three RBI, and teammates Beau Shealy, Ryan Williams and Nelms each had one RBI on the contest.
Senior pitcher Jake Christian came on in relief in the fifth inning down 8-1, as he threw five innings, recorded a game-high four strikeouts and did not allow an earned run to pick up his first win of the season. Fellow pitchers Drake Black and Bryce Foster were tied for second in the game with two K's on the mound.
Montreat (10-16) started the game hot from the offensive side of the plate, as the Cavaliers scored eight of their nine runs in the first four innings, highlighted by Austin Priesel's two-RBI double in the top of the fourth inning to make the score 8-0. Pitcher James Crowder started the game on the mound for the Cavs, as the junior pitched seven innings, logged two strikeouts and allowed four earned runs.
With the win, Brevard has now notched four wins in a row for the first time since the 2016 season, and will look to build on that momentum this weekend as they host a three-game series with Piedmont, with the first game set to begin at 3:00 p.m. on March 23 from Gil Coan Field.
For more information on Brevard athletics, visit bctornados.com.