The Briar Cliff baseball team has taken a liking to winning in dramatic fashion.
After a walk-off and late homer for a 2-0 Saturday, the Chargers used another walk-off to cap off an unbeaten Sunday against Dakota Wesleyan and 4-0 weekend in conference play at Bishop Mueller Field. Briar Cliff is 19-2 on the year.
With two outs on the board and Jared Sitzmann on second in the bottom of the ninth, Jake Federico hit an RBI single to drive in Sitzmann and give the Cliff a 3-2 win. It was the Chargers fourth walk-off victory of the season.
The Chargers led 3-2 heading into the sixth inning, but DWU tied things up in the top of the sixth.
Ryan Pearson entered the game in relief in the seventh and the Tigers quickly loaded the bases, threatening to score with just one out. Pearson and the Charger defense got out of the frame without giving up a run thanks to a strike out, line out and fly out.
The Chargers, led by pitching from Tyler Kjose, faced just three batters in the the eighth in the ninth innings, setting up Federicos heroics.
Kjose gets the game two win for the Chargers, giving up just one hit and striking out two. Federico, Mike Anthony and Sitzmann had two hits each.
Strong pitching in game one helped the Cliff to the 5-3 win. Houston Hawkins went all seven innings on the mound for BC, striking out nine batters and giving up four walks.
“Our pitchers got through some super tough situations today and the offense found a way to get it done as they have all year,” said head coach Corby McGlauflin.
Cameron Quigley started the game with a homer on a 1-0 count as the Tigers leadoff hitter. The next three batters went down in order, however, and the Chargers got out of the inning giving up just the one run.
Connor Lange helped the Chargers tie things up with an RBI ground out to score Federico and tie things up at 1-1 after the first.
With the bases loaded in the second frame, a 6-4-3 double play got the Chargers out of the jam and the inning unscathed.
BC put up three runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead. Cyler Melvin stepped to the plate with bases loaded for the Cliff and a single to right scored Anthony and Matthew Hmielewski. A sacrifice fly to left drove in Federico to round out the innings scoring.
The Cliff added its insurance run in the fifth thanks to a Tiger error to score Melvin.
Harrison Jestel rallied two hits in game one and Cyler Melvin had two RBIs.
Seth Christiansen and Kyle Halverson did the pitching for the Tigers in game one. Christiansen take the loss, giving up five runs and striking out four in five innings of work.
Briar Cliff will continue its home stand with a pair of doubleheaders next weekend at Bishop Mueller Field. First pitch on Saturday and Sunday is set for 1 p.m.
