EMMITSBURG, Md. (April 27, 2022) – A roller coaster's worth of up-and-down emotions experienced by Mount St. Mary's baseball against Coppin State ended on a high note. Bursting out to a 9-0 lead, the Mount saw Coppin stay within reach and earn a 16-16 tie. Almost five hours after it began, the Mountaineers rallied and emerged victorious by a 21-17 final.
Patience was indeed a virtue, as walks outpaced hits by a 16-14 total. The top three hitters in the order alone were given nine free passes, led by
Thomas Bramley with four.
Brady Drawbaugh led the charge in the hit column with three, and
Ryan Fisher drove in five teammates.
The 16 bases on balls were the most for any Mount team in a game since drawing 14 versus Maryland Eastern Shore on February 29, 2004. Any records indicating a walk amount higher than 16 were unavailable in an online database.
A quiet first inning was a bad indicator on what was to come. Drawbaugh opened the scoring with a double to score Fisher, kicking off a nine run frame.
Matt McTighe,
Tyler Long and
Tyler Grodell all brought home runs, setting up a grand slam by Fisher to cap off the scoring.
Coppin countered with three in the bottom half of that inning, but five more runs for the Mount including Grodell's two-run single gave the visitors a double digit advantage after two and a half innings of play. The Eagles kept within striking distance with the two sides building a 16-9 score by the end of four.
In the seventh and trailing 16-10, it was Coppin State's turn to be patient at the dish. An already bizarre game turned ludicrous as the pitchers dealt with a tight strike zone. 12 Eagles came to the plate and half drew walks. One reached on an error, two were hit by pitches and two drove in runs off sacrifice flies. Despite not a single player getting a hit, Coppin managed to tie the game at 16.
Bramley came in to score on a wild pitch to help the Mount regain the lead in the eighth. Coppin State rallied to tie heading to the ninth. It would be Drawbaugh who broke the deadlocked with his team's second homerun of the game.
Aiden Tierney added insurance with a bases clearing double to make it 21-17. With
Danny Salisbury on the mound, the Mount restored order by getting three outs in four batters to preserve the win.
Salisbury received credit for the win, his first as a collegiate player.
Mount St. Mary's now has a winning streak and improves their record to 11-24. Bryant comes to town for a three-game series in Emmitsburg beginning Friday (Apr. 29).
