MAC Tournament, Round #1

A dramatic comeback in the sixth and the seventh innings allowed Sidwell to pull out a gutsy win against a feisty GDS team in extra innings. Matt McLaughlin started the game on the hill for the Quakers, and although he threw strikes consistently, the Hoppers manufactured two runs early in the game and used a two-run homer in the top of the sixth to increase its lead to 5-1. More runs would have scored in the inning if not for Aaron Lewin's spectacular running catch in center field with no outs. And McLaughlin avoided further damage by escaping a two-out, bases loaded jam by forcing the GDS batter to fly out to right field where Luke Friedman, with one hand on the wall, made the catch to end the inning. Finding themselves down four runs, Sidwell put runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the sixth, and Derek Levinson came through for Sidwell with a flare to right field that brought in two runs, making the score 5-3. The Quakers, however, were unable to muster any more offense that inning. Chris Stevens entered the game to pitch in the seventh inning and quickly retired the GDS side to bring around the bottom of the seventh.

Things looked bleak for the Quakers when the first two batters of the inning were retired. But with two outs and a 3-2 count, David Steinbach laced a single to center. Matt McLaughlin followed with a walk to bring up Tray Brown with runners on first and second. Brown then hit a high blooper to left field that looked like it could be caught, but it dropped just in front of the diving GDS outfielder and bounced past him. Steinbach easily scored from second and McLaughlin raced around the bases to score from first to tie the game! Although Brown was stranded on third base, the Quakers had extended the game and entered extra innings tied with GDS, 5-5.

Chris Stevens shut the door on the Hoppers in the eighth, but Sidwell could not get anything going in the bottom half of the inning. The Quakers once again found themselves in trouble in the top of the ninth when GDS loaded the bases with one out for their three and four hitters. But Stevens struck out the three hitter on a full count and forced the next batter to pop up to get the Quakers out of a jam and bring about the bottom of the ninth, where Sidwell looked to finally end the game. On the first pitch he saw, Chase Plebani crushed a triple to deep left center field. And, after a mound conference, David Steinbach drove the very next pitch up the middle for a single that brought home Plebani to win the game for the Quakers. The game ended in dramatic fashion that was representative of all nine innings of action, and Sidwell showed tremendous resilience to battle back and claim a much-needed win. The Quakers continue their tournament play in the semi-finals on Monday at Flint Hill.