THOMASVILLE, Ga. – Thomas University baseball defeated Ave Maria (Fla.), 6-5, in 11 innings to earn the sixth seed in the Sun Conference Tournament to be held next week.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th,
Jake Webb hit a walk-off sac fly to center field to give TU the win.
TU ended the regular season 28-23 overall and 9-15 in the league. The Night Hawks will play in TSC Tournament for the second straight season.
Prior to the game, former head coach
Mike Lee's jersey was retired and a No. 54 sign now hangs in the outfield at Varnedoe Stadium.
Ave Maria scored two in the first, then Thomas plated four in the bottom of the frame, but AMU tied the game in the top of the second inning. The Night Hawks scored one more in the fifth, and AMU again tied the game, with one run in the ninth. After a scoreless 10th, TU hit a walk-off sac fly in the bottom of the 11th to win.
Starter
Daniel Williams struck out seven and walked two while allowing five runs from 12 hits in 9.0 innings. Reliever
Patrick Haley earned the win after 2.0 innings of work, striking out two and keeping AMU without a hit.
Gavin Murphy was 2-for-5 with an RBI while
Jalbert Melo drew three walks and scored twice.
AMU tagged four hits and scored two runs in the top of the first to take the 2-0 lead, but Thomas scored four in the bottom of the inning.
Webb drew a leadoff walk, then Jarrod Beegle came in to pinch run and stole second.
Chase Hinson tagged a base hit to right field, and Beegle scored on a fielding error. Melo drew a walk then stole second before
Taylor Westbrook sent a sac fly to right field, plating Hinson.
Justin Young reached on an error by the firstbaseman, then back-to-back singles by Murphy and
Landon Boyette allowed Melo and Young to score.
AMU connected on three more singles in the second, scoring two more runs and tying the game.
In the bottom of the fifth, Melo and Westbrook drew consecutive one-out walks, then Young drove in Melo with a single.
Two base hits and two ground outs allowed one AMU run to score in the ninth.
In the 11th, Boyette drew a leadoff walk then stole second and advanced to third on a single by Place.
Trent Miller was intentionally walked to load the bases, then Webb sent a sac fly to center to help TU to the walkoff victory.
Thomas will next play Valdosta State in Georgia on April 25 at 5 p.m., then will face the top seed in the Sun Conference Tournament, held May 4-7 in West Palm Beach, Fla.
