Box Score

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Union University baseball, the No. 2 seed in the 2014 National Christian College Athletic Associatin (NCCAA) Mid-East Region Tournament, opened with a first round comeback win 12-10 in 13 innings over No. 3 seed Morthland (Ill.) College Tuesday afternoon. The win moves Union to 13-33 overall. Morthland falls to 14-12. The tournament is being played at Lee University. 
 
Cole White scored the first run of the contest for a 1-0 Union lead in the second inning. Zach Wylie began the inning with a walk and White came on to courtesy run. White stole second and ran to third on a Hunter Smith groundout. Wacey Russell delivered a single down the right field line scoring White from third. The Patriots got a tying run in the bottom of the second for a 1-1 score. Caleb Warnimont and Jim Martin were left on base after getting on with one-out walks in the third. A throwing error put Russell on first in the fourth. Union gained a 2-1 edge when Andrew Allen knocked a double into left center scoring Russell.  

Morthland went in front 4-2 in the fifth. Smith opened the seventh taking first when he was hit by a pitch. Michael Flores dropped a sacrifice bunt pushing Smith to second. Smith motored to third on a wild pitch. A walk to who stole second was followed by a walk to Allen that loaded the bases. Royer walked forcing home Smith for a 4-3 score. Martin began the eighth doubling down the leftfield line. Daniel Mathis pinch ran for Martin. Wylie singled to right center. White replaced Wylie as courtesy runner. A Smith double into right scored Mathis and White for a 5-4 lead. Smith ran to third on a Flores sacrifice bunt. A single into right by Russell scored Smith giving Union a two-run edge 6-4. Russell stole second, went to third on an error and ran home on a passed ball for a 7-4 with one out. Four runs in the bottom of the eighth put Morthland ahead 8-7.

A hustling Warnimont gave Union a runner in the ninth. Warnimont charged to third on a single to left from Martin. A sacrifice fly by Wylie scored Warnimont for an 8-8 game. Royer led off the 11th with an infield single. A Warnimont sacrifice bunt advanced Royer to second. Martin singled down the right field line scoring Royer for a 9-8 lead. Russell walked with the bases loaded plating Martin for a 10-8 Union advantage. Two in the 11th by the Patriots tied the game 11-11.

In the 13th Martin got a leadoff single and was sacrificed to second by Wylie. An RBI single from Smith scored Martin for an 11-10 lead. Smith stole second and scored on a single by Russell for a 12-10 final.
 
Chaz Wilson (4-3) came on in the 11th to earn the win. Joshua Rich recorded the loss pitching the final five innings.
 
Morthland had 15 hits to 14 for Union. Union had four multi-hit innings. The Bulldogs left 20 runners on base and three times ended an inning with the bags packed.
 
Union will play at 2:30 p.m. CST Wednesday against an opponent yet to be determined on Olympic Field.

#UNION#