The Golden Eagles fell behind early and couldn't come back in the opening game of a doubleheader in an 11-4 loss to Lakeland Community College on Tuesday at TCC Saints Field, but they came back to win the second game in thrilling walk-off fashion.
Lakeland scored four runs in the first inning of the opening game and four more in the second on a powerful grand slam to take an early 8-1 lead. The Navy and Gold got a single run in the first inning and plated two runs in the bottom of the third inning when Mason Eicher (Cape Coral, FL / Mariner) led off with a triple and scored on a flyout to center field.
Three more tallies were added by the Lakers in the top of the fourth inning as they took an 11-3 advantage, while AJ Boshears (Seymour, IN / Seymour) socked a four-bagger in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Eagles---his first collegiate hit for extra bases. Neither team scored over the final three innings of play as Lakeland closed out the victory.
Leading the Eagles was Mason Eicher who was 2-for-4 at the plate, while Boshears was 1/3 and Charlie Drumm (Akron, OH / Copley) scored two runs.
In the final game of the afternoon, the Golden Eagles earned their first victory of the season, 2-1, in walk-off fashion by Owen Nunnally (Cleveland, OH / Villa Angela St. Joseph) in extra innings.
The game was tied 1-1 after each team scored a run in the third inning and it stayed that way until the bottom of the eighth when an error allowed KSU Tusc to score the winning run. The pitching was strong for both sides as the Eagles pitchers fanned seven Lakeland batters and the LCC pitchers set down nine KSU Tusc batters.
After Lakeland scored a run in the top of the third, the Golden Eagles got on the board with a run of their own in the home half when Eicher bunted safely and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Drumm. Owen Poland (Dover, OH / Dover) smacked a single to left field that scored the speedy Eicher from second. Nunnally added another single but the inning ended with two KSU runners left on base.
In the bottom of the eighth, Kyle Stotzer (Mineral City, OH / Tuscarawas Valley) singled past third, but was forced out at second base on a fielder's choice by Eicher. Drumm was hit-by-pitch and the Eagles had runners at first and second. With one out, Poland fouled out to the first baseman which brought Nunnally to the dish.
With two outs and a full count of 3-2 on him, Nunnally lined a ground ball to the second baseman who made a fielding error that allowed the hustling Golden Eagles batter to reach first safely as Eicher rounded third to score the winning run.
Poland was credited with the pitching victory in relief, as the righthander surrendered no runs and didn't allow a hit over the final two innings. He struck our four Lakeland batters and walked one. Branyan Wade (Carrollton, OH / Carrollton) started the game and the lefty lasted six innings scattering four hits and one run while striking out three.
Eicher went 2 for 4 at the plate to lead the Golden Eagles and scored both runs in the game.
Kyle Stotzer raps a single past third base in the winning eighth inning for the Eagles.
AJ Boshears and the Golden Eagles race to congratulate Mason Eicher (bent over) who scored the winning run.
(Photos by Jim Cummings)