Dock Spiders Fall in Heartbreaker to Booyah

GREEN BAY, WI – After tying the game in the ninth, the Dock
Spiders fell to the Booyah as they won in walk-off fashion and win 5-4 on
Monday night.

 

The Dock Spiders (3-2) went into
Monday’s game having won their home matchup against the Booyah (2-4) on Sunday
by a final of 10-4. Monday night’s game had a different pace to it, as both
ball club’s pitching held strong for the first four innings. Ryan
Bergert (West Virginia University) started the game for
Fond du Lac and had a solid outing, finishing the night with five strikeouts,
one run on two hits, and five strikeouts in four innings on the mound.

 

The first run of the game came in
the bottom of the fourth when Green Bay designated hitter Brady
West (North Greenville University) hit a solo home run to
give the Booyah the 1-0 lead.

 

The Dock Spiders were able to tie
the game at one in the sixth off a Tim Elko (University of
Mississippi) solo home run that cleared the right-field
fence.

 

The Booyah snatched their lead
right back that same inning following a three-run home run from Alec
Burns (West Virginia University) that went off the side of
the right-field wall and out to make it 4-1.

 

Fond du Lac remained persistent
and drew within one run in the top of the seventh. John
Rhodes (University of Kentucky) and Jack
Alexander (Austin Peay) both reached on base hits to put
runners on first and second.

 

Andrew
Bullock (Charleston Southern University) came in
to pinch-hit and drove a liner into center that loaded the bases. Drew
Stahl (University of Minnesota) came in to pinch-run for
Bullock.

 

Sam
Novitske (University of Oregon) worked a full count and
eventually drew a walk that scored Rhodes and make it 4-2. That brought up Parker
Noland (Vanderbilt University) who grounded out to first
but scored Alexander in the process to draw the Dock Spiders to within a run.

 

Going into the ninth, the Dock
Spiders trailed a run but had the top of their order due up to start the
inning. Novitske led things off with a solid base hit into center field, as did
Noland to put runners at first and second. Elko attempted to lay down a bunt
and move runners over but Novitske was thrown out at third for the first out.
Elko reached and was pinch-run for by Victor Scott II (West Virginia
University).

 

Both Noland and Scott II stole
the next at-bat that made it two runners in scoring position with two outs for
the Dock Spiders. The Booyah gave Aaron Anderson (Liberty
University) an intentional walk to load the bases and get
a force out at any bag. With two outs, Taylor Jackson (University of
Illinois) stepped up to the plate to try and tie the game.
In a 1-0 count, Taylor drilled a pitch into right-center field that scored
Noland from third with ease to tie the game at four. Scott II tried to score
from second and take the lead but was thrown out at home in what was a very
close play to end the inning.

 

Theo
Denlinger (Bradley University) came in for the ninth to
try and keep it a tie game and take it into extra innings. The Booyah got their
first two batters on, followed by an intentional walk to load the bases with
nobody out. A first-pitch passed ball to Ethan Payne (University of
Tennessee) got through Alexander and to the backstop, but
he was able to recover and make the throw home to Denlinger to catch Ty
Olejnik (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) stealing and
get the first out. The Dock Spiders then intentionally walked Payne to load the
bases once more. That brought up Andy Blake (Columbia University) who
sent an 0-2 pitch up the middle to score the winning run and walk it off for
the Booyah in a 5-4 victory.

 

The Dock Spiders pitchers made it
three consecutive games with double-digit strikeouts with 12 on the night and
only walked two batters in the loss.

 

Fond du Lac will have a two-game
home series against the Rockford Rivets, with game one starting at 6:35 pm at
Herr Baker Field at Marian University on the 7th, Tuesday night.