Joseph Marvin: Assistant Sports Information Director
Photo Credit: Thom Kennedy '22 Instagram - @thomkphoto
MISENHEIMER, N.C. - The Brevard College Tornados Baseball team (6-17, 1-13 USAS) fell in the bottom of the ninth inning as Pfeiffer Falcons (15-4, 9-3 USAS) used a walk-off, RBI single to claim the series sweep over BC.
The Falcons rallied in the game's final inning, scoring three runs to drop the Tornados in heartbreaking fashion, 6-5.
The result came in spite of an impressive outing from a junior RHP Kross Robinson. Robinson went six innings, allowing just two runs on six hits while striking out five Falcons. Robinson received his third no decision of 2019 and his second in a row after the Falcons rallied in the final inning on Sunday afternoon.
BC's offense had a solid day at the plate, recording eight hits in total. Donny Carsillo and Jason Jucker both recorded two hits on the afternoon. Carsillo came around to score twice, while Jucker scores once and drove in an RBI.
Brae Wooten went 1-for-3, scoring twice for NC. Ryan Roon recorded an RBI, in addition to JJ Wilkes' two-RBI performance. Wilkes leads the Tornados in 2019 with 12 RBI's.
BC tagged Pfeiffer's starting pitcher Matt Moser for a run in the first inning before he was pulled in favor of Holden Carter, who gave up three runs in four innings to the Brevard offense.
Pfeiffer's Grayson Honeycutt held Brevard at bay, shutting out the Tornados in two innings of work. Cameron Reid (1-1) earned the victory despite allowing an insurance run to Brevard in the ninth inning, as the Falcons rallied for the game-winning score in the bottom half of the inning.
After a walk issued to Wooten to begin the game, Brevard's Carsillo reached on a fielder's choice, stole second base, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a Roon RBI single that gave BC a 1-0 lead after the top of the first inning.
The Falcons answered right back in the bottom of the first as they plated their first run with an RBI on a fielder's choice, tying the contest at one apiece.
Neither side could score in the second inning before the Tornados struck for two runs in the top of the third. Wilkes slapped a two-RBI single to right field that scored Jucker and Carsillo, giving BC a 3-1 lead.
Pfeiffer got a run back in the bottom of the third after Robinson hit a batter with the bases loaded to cut the lead, 3-2. However, Robinson escaped without further damage after a line out and a fly out, leaving BC in front by a run.
The Falcons threatened in the bottom of the fourth with runners on the corners, but Robinson got a big swinging strikeout to end the Pfeiffer scoring threat.
Brevard took advantage of a fielding miscue by the Falcons to plate its fourth run of the contest when Jucker plated Wooten on a fielder's choice that followed the Falcon error. BC held the lead, 4-2, after five innings.
Robinson escaped trouble in his final inning of work, as he stranded a leadoff runner on second base with three-straight outs.
The Tornados stranded Jucker on second base in the top half of the seventh inning before Williams came into the game to shut down Pfeiffer, 1-2-3, in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Pfeiffer cut Brevard's lead to a single run in the bottom of the eighth, cashing in a one-out single with an RBI single through the right side. Williams escaped further damage, however, stranding the bases loaded with a pop fly to center field that ended the inning.
The Tornados led off the ninth inning with a Wooten and Carsillo single, as Brevard had runners on the corners with nobody out. Wooten came around to score on a double play, giving Brevard an important insurance run that extended its lead, 5-3, as the game moved into the bottom of the ninth inning.
Pfeiffer began its game-winning rally with a leadoff double off of BC's new pitcher Alex Winchester (1-2). A costly throwing error on the next play resulted in all runs coming around to be charged as unearned toward's Winchester's line.
After the Falcons lined out for the inning's first out, a sacrifice fly cut BC's advantage, 5-4, with two outs in the inning.
Pfeiffer would go on to but back-to-back two-out RBI singles to drop Brevard, 6-5, in a tough decision for the Tornados.
The Tornados will look to rebound next weekend at home as it takes on Greensboro College (9-11, 6-5 USAS) in a three-game weekend series at Gil Coan Field. Game one is set for Saturday, March 30 at 3 p.m., with a doubleheader slated for Sunday, March 31 at 12 and 3 p.m.
To follow along with all the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, please follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados'' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook.
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