Moment #12: Baseball Outlasts Crimson Tide
7/11/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 11, 2014
It was another successful athletic season for Stephen F. Austin in 2013-14, capped by memorable games, incredible performances, championship efforts and moments that will be remembered for years to come. To close out the 2013-14 season, SFAJacks.com will count down the top 15 moments of the past year as voted on by the SFA administrative staff and media representatives. A new moment will be revealed each Tuesday and Friday, counting down to the top moment of the year on Tuesday, August 19th.
MOMENT #12: Baseball Outlasts Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Headed into Tuscaloosa on February 18th, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack baseball team knew it had a tough task ahead of them with No. 27/21 Alabama in a three-game series.
The ‘Jacks would be facing their second consecutive SEC opponent on the road, having fallen to No. 21/24 Texas A&M in a midweek tilt in College Station, Texas, three days prior.
The series opener, aired on ESPN3 through the broadcast by the Tide, proved to be pitcher’s duel that spanned over regulation, the first extra-inning game for SFA. Alabama, the third ranked team the ‘Jacks played in their first five games, struck first in the bottom of the first inning before starter Cameron Gann settled in.
The Tide’s 1-0 lead lasted until the top of the third inning, when SFA was able to take advantage of three consecutive walks to tie the game. Will Vest walked to open the frame and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Matthew Dickey, before being joined on the base path with Joe Olson and Mackenzie Handel both walking to load the bases with two outs. Zach Marberry then drew the third consecutive walk to plate Vest and tie the game.
The 1-1 stalemate spanned the next nine innings, as both Gann and Tyler Wiedenfeld scattered six hits and stranded seven base runners from Alabama to send the game into the 13th. Brett Thornell opened the frame with a bunt single to the pitcher before advancing to third on a sac bun from Vest and a single through the left side from Dickey.
With the game-winning run 90 feet away, the Tide went to Tucker Hawley out of the bullpen to face Ricardo Sanchez, but the senior delivered, plating Thornell on a sacrifice fly to right to put the ‘Jacks up 2-1.
With the lead, SFA’s Patrick Ledet relieved Wiedenfeld, working around a hit and fanning one to seal the win and pick up his first career save.
It was the first of three road victories for SFA over teams that qualified for the 2014 NCAA tournament. The 'Jacks got an early run and made it stick in a 1-0 victory over Wichita State on March 7th. But arguably the biggest win of the season for the 'Jacks was a 6-3 decision in Lubbock over 29th-ranked Texas Tech - a Red Raider team that advanced all the way to the College World Series in Omaha.
2013-14 SFA Top Moment Countdown Schedule
Moment #1 - Tuesday, Aug. 19
Moment #2 - Friday, Aug. 15
Moment #3 - Tuesday, Aug. 12
Moment #4 - Friday, Aug. 8
Moment #5 - Tuesday, Aug. 5
Moment #6 - Friday, Aug. 1
Moment #7 - Tuesday, July 29
Moment #8 - Friday, July 25
Moment #9 - Tuesday, July 22
Moment #10 - Friday, July 18
Moment #11 - Tuesday, July 15
Moment #12 - Baseball outlasts nationally-ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa
Moment #13 - Football stuns second-ranked Montana State
Moment #14 - Colton Ross sets nation's top mark in pole vault
Moment #15 - Bowling claims first tournament titles in program history
-SFA-
