EMMITSBURG, Md. (May 23, 2024) – Battling from 5-0 down, Mount St. Mary's baseball fought back to tie the top seeded Fairfield Stags before using a four-run eighth to pull off the upset, 12-10, during the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament. The victory clinches a berth in the semifinals, allowing the team to earn a spot in the conference title game with a win on Friday.
The Mountaineers capitalized on reaching base via walks and errors to grab the lead. With the bases loaded and one away,
Tyler Long hit into a possible double play scenario, but all were safe after a bobble by the Stags' second baseman. Two wild pitches and a sacrifice fly from
Jayson Kramer allowed for a 12-8 lead, all coming without the benefit of a hit.
Luke Pryor once again was a major factor on the mound, keeping the reigns steady for 2 2/3 innings to earn the win.
JT Landwehr also pitched a solid relief appearance, going 4 2/3 innings after coming on in the first inning. The sophomore – typically an infielder but experienced on the hill – held down the fort by limiting the Stags' runs to three after they went up 5-0. As a group, the pitching staff combined to retire 10 Fairfield batters via the strikeout.
Heading into the ninth,
Deven Sheerin was called on to finish his second game in as many days. After a leadoff homerun, Fairfield staged a rally on an RBI single and walks to load the bases down two. Sheerin was able to secure the game on a lineout by Matt Lussier to
Scott Seeker.
Seeker and
Evan Meier had multi-hit days on offense, with Seeker mashing a key three-run homer that was essential to the comeback. Meier crossed home plate three times as the team made the most of his trips on the bags. Long, Kramer, and
David Stirpe all had two RBIs at the plate, including Stirpe's game-tying home run in the fifth inning.
Niagara defeated Rider in the other winner's bracket game and will be the Mount's opponent. A start time of 11 AM is scheduled.
