Brandan Duffy's two-out single in the 10th inning scored Ryan Groth with the go-ahead run and Oral Roberts stayed alive in the NCAA Lincoln Regional with an 8-7 win over Eastern Illinois on Saturday at H
TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Friday, May 30, 2008 7:00 pm
Sounds simple. If there are two outs, there’s still one-third of the inning to play.
A lot of times, Oral Roberts right fielder Brendan Duffy says, “that’s a hard out to get.”
It was Duffy’s two-out single in the 10th inning Saturday, scoring Ryan Groth, that allowed the Golden Eagles to stay alive in the NCAA Lincoln Regional.
Oral Roberts eliminated Eastern Illinois 8-7, scoring all but two of its runs with two outs in innings. Catcher Ben Petralli drove in three.
“It was kind of a rollercoaster ride there,” Duffy said. “But we knew we were going to score.”
Oral Roberts needed every run it could get in a game where Eastern Illinois overcame 5-0 and 6-1 deficits and the Golden Eagles lost one, and quite possibly two runs, when a line drive bound for center field off the bat of Groth in the fourth inning instead struck second-base umpire David Savage on the top of the head.
Runners on second and third base were not allowed to advance on the dead ball.
Oral Roberts coach Rob Walton said after the game that umpires missed the call, but crew chief Tony Walsh issued a statement clarifying the rule interpretation.
“Because the ball had not gotten past any of the infielders, and hit the umpire prior to getting past the infielders, the ball became dead immediately,” Walsh said, “and the batter gets first base and none of the runners advance because they weren’t forced.”
The unusual play, similar to one that cost Eastern Illinois a run in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament, seemed to bring life to the Panthers.
After wiggling out of bases-loaded jams in the fourth and fifth innings, allowing only one run, EIU bounced back with a four-run fifth that included a solo home run by Alex Gee and a two-run shot by Brett Nommensen.
Eastern Illinois scored the tying run in the seventh after back-to-back hits from Jordan Tokarz and Zach Skidmore and plated the tying run in the bottom of the ninth on a wild pitch.
For a moment, it looked like Richie Derbak had singled in the winning run in the ninth. But a diving stop by first baseman David Genao forced extra innings.
“We talked this morning about not quitting,” said Eastern Illinois coach Jim Schmitz. “This is an elimination game, and it’s called that for a reason.
“I’m really happy how they responded, and I’m proud of these guys for the way we played the last two days.”
Derbak took the loss in relief for Eastern Illinois (27-30). The Golden Eagles’ Carlos Luna improved to 13-0, earning the win despite yielding the tying run in the ninth. T.J. Kelly pitched the 10th to earn the save.
Oral Roberts (47-13) will face Nebraska on Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7320 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.