Different day. Different team. Different ballpark. Same result.
For the second time in four days senior Scott Hamilton drove home the game-winning run in an extra innings baseball game. Tuesday afternoon his RBI double in the bottom of the 10th lifted the Little Giants to an 8-7 win over Anderson University at Mud Hollow Field.
Hamilton brought Kyle Rush home from first after the freshman walked with one out in the inning. Rush was off with the pitch, easily rounding third to race to the plate for the game-winner on the line drive to right center field. (View photos from the Wabash victory.)
Just four days ago it was a single by Hamilton with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning that gave Wabash a one-run win over Wisconsin-Platteville in a game played at Crawfordsville High School.
Ironically, it was pitcher Mike Korfhagen who picked up the win in the Saturday night victory who also earned the win on Tuesday. Korfhagen worked four innings of relief, striking out five while walking only one batter to move to 2-0 for the year. He surrendered three hits and one run in the 16 batters he faced. Dan Metz started the game, going six innings while giving up only four earned runs on eight hits.
For the third straight game the Little Giants were forced to rally in the late innings. Wabash was down 6-4 after six innings before Rush reached on a two-out single in the seventh. He stole second, then moved to third on a passed ball before Hamilton drove him in with a looping single down the right field line to cut the lead to one run.
A walk in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded would tie the game for Wabash. Jake Thomas started the rally with a single through the right side. After a sacrifice moved him to second, Shaun Rico drew a walk and Bobby Ritz was hit by the first pitch he saw to load the bases. Mike Nowak drew the walk on a full count to tie the game at 6-6.
Anderson answered with two doubles in the ninth off Korfhagen to take a 7-6 lead. But once again a bases loaded walk would haunt the Ravens, giving the Little Giants a chance. Matt Dodaro singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth, moving up a base on a walk to Thomas. An error by the Anderson third baseman on a sharply hit ground ball by Jake Lee filled the bases for the second inning in a row with only one out. Anderson pitcher Eric Smith struck out the next batter, bringing freshman Nathan Schrader to the plate. The rookie worked the count full before taking a pitch inside and high for a ball to bring Dodaro home with the tying run.
The Little Giants managed just nine hits in the game. Hamiton and Dodaro led the way, each picking up two. Thomas extended his season-best hit streak to nine games with his single in the eighth. But Thomas' biggest play of the game came in the second inning with the Ravens threatening. He made a diving catch in right with one out and runner on second already around third and three-quarters of the way to the plate. Thomas easily doubled him up at second to end the threat and keep the game at 2-0 in favor of Anderson.
The victory was the third one-run win for the Little Giants this season in their seventh one-run game overall. Wabash is now 5-9-1 for the year.
The Little Giants open play in the North Coast Athletic Conference this weekend with a four-game series at Denison University beginning Saturday afternoon.
Photos - (main sports page) Hamilton's teammates surround him in a post-game celebration after his RBI double scores the game-winning run.
Junior John Brauchie grabs this foul ball for the second out of the ninth inning, helping hold the game close for the Little Giants.