LEWISTON, Idaho – Everyone at Harris Field was at the edge of their seat on Tuesday when the third-seeded LC State Baseball team upset the top-seeded Southeastern Fire in comeback fashion. After trailing 6-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Warriors exploded for six runs to take a 10-6 lead.
Luke White tied the game with a long RBI-single before
Matt James put the Warriors back in front.
Jack Johnson put an exclamation point on the inning with a two-run blast.
Eric Chavarria was solid in his start, and
Trent Sellers closed the door in the bottom of the ninth.
"Eric competed and gave us everything he had," Head Coach
Jake Taylor said. "As a unit, we had production from each member of our lineup. It was a great team effort all the way around."
Matt James led off the inning with a single up the middle and courtesy runner
Alex Light took third on a botched pick-off attempt.
Riley Way took a pitch off his jersey to put runners on the corners before a fielder's choice and error plated a run and left runners on first and second. A ball hit by
Dillon Plew turned into another error that loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly by
Brock Ephan tied the game.
Back-to-back singles by
Aidan Nagle and
Luke White put the Warriors in front 4-2, and
Eric Chavarria, aided by a smooth defensive play by Ephan, kept SEU off the board in the top of the fourth.
Southeastern went station-to-station for a run in the Fire's half of the fifth to cut the LC lead to one at 4-3. Chavarria sat SEU down in order in the sixth. A double play by
A.J. Davis, Way and Ephan helped the Warriors to another 1-2-3 inning in the seventh.
The Fire took the lead in the top of the eighth.
Eli Shubert took over on the mound with two on and no outs in the top of the eighth, and SEU hits and Warrior misplays allowed three runs to score.
The Warriors answered in the home half of the inning to regain the lead. Ephan was hit by a pitch to swing the momentum in favor of LC, and a single by Nagle put two on. White singled to deep right to push both across and a double by James put the Warriors in front by one.
Way kept the inning going with a fielder's choice to drive in a run before
Jack Johnson unleashed on a ball for a two-run homer to make it a 10-6 ball game.
Trent Sellers came out of the bullpen to close out the game and complete the upset in comeback fashion.
Johnson and Nagle each had three hits in the game, and Johnson and White both drove in three.
Sellers earned his second victory of the tournament in his relief outing. The sophomore tossed 1.1 innings and shut the door at the end of the game. Chavarria bounced back in his second start of the Series, going seven with four punchouts.
LC State advances to Wednesday's action against an opponent to be determined. Game time will be announced later today.
Stay up to date with all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.
