No. 1 IU Southeast outlasts No. 3 Point Park in 10 innings at KIAC Tournament

5/6/2016 12:00:00 AM

(By Scott McClure, KIAC Commissioner)

KINGSPORT, Tenn. -- No. 1 seed Indiana University Southeast outlasted No. 3 Point Park University with a 2-1 victory in 10 innings Thursday in Game #5 of the KIAC Baseball Tournament at Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport, Tenn.

In a pitching matchup that featured two first-team all-conference selections, both starters delivered for their respective teams. IU Southeast starter Ryne Underwood (So., RHP, Louisville, Ky.) went nine innings and allowed one run on seven hits while striking out six. Point Park starter Jason Kim (Sr., LHP, LaCrescenta, Calif.) went seven innings and gave up one run on four hits and also struck out six batters as the starters turned over a 1-1 tie to the bullpens.

The Grenadiers struck first with a run in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out double by Zach Reboulet (Jr., SS, Dayton, Ohio). The Pioneers knotted the score in the top of the sixth when Demetrius Moorer (Sr., CF, Homestead, Fla.) singled, stole second and scored from third base on a single by catcher Chris Hernandez (So., Miami, Fla.). Hernandez had three of Point Park's eight hits, and Moorer had a two hits and scored their only run.

Both teams had their chances to break the 1-1 tie, but Underwood and Kim did not comply. The matchup lived up its its billing as a classic pitcher's duel, and momentum was hanging on every pitch.

IU Southeast had a the go-ahead run 90 feet away in the bottom of the eighth, but Point Park reliever Jarrad Brown was called upon, and he stranded runners at first and third to get out of the jam.

Underwood got through his ninth inning of work by retiring the side in order in the top half. The Grenadiers looked in good shape to push across the winning run in the bottom of the ninth as they had first and third with only one out.. An error to start the inning and a base hit set up runners at the corners, which was the exact same sequence that resulted in the eighth-inning jam a frame before.

But Brown got out of it again as the Grenadiers did not send the runner home on a flyout to right followed by a groundout to first base.

The top of the 10th had the KIAC's top relief pitcher, Jarrod Messex, come in for IU Southeast. He allowed a one-out hit but struck out the side to preserve the 1-1 tie.

With the game now a matchup of the top bullpen arms in the KIAC, IU Southeast went to bat in the bottom of the 10th. For the third straight inning, the leadoff man reached via an infield error. A sacrifice bunt by Matt Volz moved up Greg Antoine, who was running for lead-off man Trent Simpson.

After a groundout to short, Logan Coughlin (Sr., LF, Brownsburg, Ind.) bounced a two-out single through the hole at short to bring home Antoine with the winning run, an unearned tally.

IU Southeast (40-11) has now won 22 straight games and advances in the winner's bracket of the KIAC Tournament to face No. 4 Rio Grande on Friday at 11 a.m. Point Park ends the season at 28-24 overall.