Spencer Steedley had two of the 49ers four home runs. |
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Grand Slam Sinks Niners In Tenth
May 8, 2005
Charlotte, N.C. - Designated hitter Ryan McKinnon hit a grand slam in the top of the 10th and Brian Halford closed out his fourth perfect frame in the bottom half of the inning, as the Louisville Cardinals scored a 12-8 win over Charlotte in the finale of a three-game Conference USA series on Sunday afternoon.
For the third time this weekend, the outcome of the game was not decided until the ninth inning or later. Like the 9-8 series opener on Friday night, the contest was filled with offense. The teams combined for seven home runs, including four by the 49ers, five doubles, and two triples.
Louisville (26-19, 12-11 C-USA) led early in the game, but had to rally from an 8-7 deficit to send the game to extra innings. The Cardinals pushed a single run across in the top of the eighth against closer Erik Walker when pinch hitter Logan Johnson doubled, moved over on a sacrifice, and scored on a wild pitch in the dirt. That made it an 8-8 ballgame, but Walker got a strike out and fly out to force the Cards to leave the bases loaded and get out of the jam.
Julian Sides came on to start the 10th inning, as Walker had pitched Friday night, faced one batter on Saturday, and completed three innings in this game. Sides was the fifth pitcher of the game for the 49ers, who had used just nine pitchers all season.
Sides walked leadoff hitter Boomer Whiting before Nick Haley beat out a bunt down the first base line. After a sacrifice moved the runners and took away the double play chance, the 49ers chose to intentionally walk Isaiah Howes, who had been 3-for-4 in the game.
McKinnon's lone hit of the day was his fifth home run of the season, clearing the wall in center field.
Charlotte (26-21, 9-15 C-USA) couldn't get anything going against Halford, who picked up the win with four perfect innings of relief. The Niners went in order in the eighth, ninth, and tenth innings.
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The Niners had taken an 8-7 lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Spencer Steedley hit his second home run of the game to lead off the inning, before Garrett Hanselman tripled into the right field corner and scored on an O'Brien Taylor single through the right side. But Halford came on in relief, getting a sacrifice and consecutive groundouts to stop the scoring.
That inning snapped what had been a 6-6 tie. The teams combined to score at least a run in every inning but the fifth and ninth.
Steedley hit his first homer of the day in a three-run third inning. It was the second homer of that frame, following Cory Lane's leadoff solo shot. Mike Ambrose collected his sixth of the season in the fourth, a two-run shot.
Boomer Whiting and Curt Stewart joined McKinnon with round-trippers for the visitors.
Along with Halford (3-1), Charlotte's B.J. Hagen was the only other pitcher to finish the game unscathed. He allowed two hits and no runs over 2.1 innings while striking out three.
The 49ers will host Houston in their final homestand of the season next weekend. Game times are 6:00 Friday, 2:00 Saturday, and 12:00 Sunday. Saturday's game is the same day as commencement, and fans are encouraged to arrive early to avoid traffic tie-ups. Sunday's game will be senior day, as Charlotte honors outfielder Adam Willard.
