Erik Walker pitched a caeer-high 6 innings in relief to earn the win. |
|
|
49ers Come Through In 12th Inning for Win
May 14, 2005
Charlotte, N.C. - It wasn't intentional, but Erik Walker proved he can be much more than a closer for the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday afternoon. The junior pitched a career-high six innings in relief, and Cory Lane's single up the middle in the bottom of the 12th gave the Charlotte 49ers a much-needed 8-7 Conference USA victory over Houston at Tom & Lib Phillips Field.
Freshman O'Brien Taylor singled to lead off the 12th for Charlotte (27-22, 10-16 C-USA), before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a pop up for the inning's second out, leadoff hitter Cory Lane stroked a single back through the box and under the glove of the Houston pitcher to score the game-winning run.
The hit was the culmination of what turned out to be a mini-marathon that lasted exactly four hours. It was the fifth straight game - all here in Charlotte - that was decided in the final turn at bat.
Walker, who established his previous career high with 4.2 innings of relief earlier this season, entered with the bases loaded in the seventh after B.J. Hagen and Matt Foard could not get an out. Houston (24-26, 14-11 C-USA) overcame a 7-1 Charlotte lead by scoring six runs in the inning, with two charged to each of the three 49er pitchers.
Normally the 49er closer, Walker got out of the inning with the score tied and then held the Cougars scoreless over their next five turns at bat. He allowed just three baserunners in the 8th through 12th innings to set up the Charlotte heroics and earn his fourth win of the season.
Third baseman Alex Bryant made at least three nice stops at the hot corner to help Walker in the late innings, including a backhanded stop on a hard hit ball to save the potential game-winning run.
|
|
 |
The teams buzzed through the opening two innings with just three combined hits, as Houston starter Brad Lincoln and Charlotte's Adam Mills worked quickly and were in control.
Charlotte got to Lincoln in the bottom of the third for four runs to take control. Adam Willard started things off with a RBI single, before Garrett Hanselman drew a bases-loaded walk for a 2-0 lead. O'Brien Taylor then doubled just inside the right field line to plate two more runs.
In the bottom of the fourth, the 49ers scored a pair of runs on another RBI single by Willard and a throwing error by the Cougar catcher trying to get Ambrose stealing third.
The teams traded runs in the sixth, with Houston scoring after Mills left with some apparent discomfort in his leg. Hagen came on to relieve him after an abbreviated warm-up session, allowing a RBI double. Charlotte scored in the bottom half on a RBI single by Kris Rochelle.
Willard and Taylor each drove in a pair of runs, and were two of six different 49ers with multiple hits. Charlotte finished the game with 20 hits overall. Willard and Rochelle each finished the day 4-for-6, while Taylor went 3-for-5. Cory Lane and Mike Ambrose each finished 3-for-6, while Garrett Hanselman added a pair of singles.
Sunday is the series finale and last home game of the season. The 49ers will honor four-year standout Adam Willard before the game. Willard is among the Conference USA leaders in batting average, hits, doubles, triples, RBI, and stolen bases this season, and will finish his career among the school's all-time top 10 in batting average.
