DAVENPORT, Fla. – After plating four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game, the Carleton College baseball team fell 7-6 to Knox College in the 10th frame.
Knox (2-13) scored six unanswered runs to start the game. A pair of errors allowed two runs to come across in the second, a double and RBI groundout tacked on two more in the third, and the Prairie Fire made it 6-0 with a three-hit, two-run fourth frame. The damage could have been worse had reliever
Jake Stern not entered with the bases loaded in the fourth and registered the third out.
Stern kept the Knights (2-7) in the ballgame, blanking the Prairie Fire through the fifth and sixth innings. Carleton left seven runners aboard through the first five innings but started its comeback in the sixth.
Adam Rubin reached on an error,
Reece Wellsandt singled to move his on-base streak to seven games, and
Jason Seeber loaded the bases with another knock.
Nathan Barnhart took a hit-by-pitch to force home a run.
Stern kept rolling through the seventh and eighth, and in the bottom of inning eight, Seeber and
Andrew Sellers reached on consecutive singles. Barnhart again drove in a run, this time with a hit to deep short.
Ryan Chang tossed a scoreless ninth to set up Carleton's rally in the final half-inning. Trailing 6-2,
Sam Chutkow began the stanza by beating out an infield hit.
Tyler Vandersall ripped a double down the third-base line, and Rubin scored them both with a single to left. Seeber worked a one-out base on balls, and Barnhart earned a two-out walk to load the bases. After a tough at-bat,
Luke Lawson ate a hit-by-pitch to drive in a run, making it a one-run game.
Will Schnepf then singled in the hole to square the game, but the potential winning baserunner was tagged out trying to advance home.
Knox pinch-hitter Miles Hoops walked to lead off the first extra frame, stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Tyler Kemp. The Knights were retired in order in the bottom of the 10th. Carleton has lost three tight games with the tying or winning run at the plate.
Xander Stolberg got the start and struck out three over 3.2 innings. Stern finished his sterling relief outing with a line of 4.1 innings pitched, one hit, no runs allowed, and two strikeouts. Chang threw 2.0 innings, striking out two.
Barnhart was 2-for-3 with a walk, hit by pitch, and two RBI. Schnepf went 2-for-6 with an RBI. Chutkow registered two singles and a double in six trips, scoring once. Rubin finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two driven in. Seeber carded two hits, a walk, and two runs in five plate appearances. Sellers concluded his day 2-for-4 with a hit-by-pitch. The Knights posted 15 hits on the day, but left 15 runners on base.
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton meets Augustana College on Monday, Mar. 23, at 2:00 p.m. EDT/1:00 p.m. CDT. The game will take place in Winter Haven, Fla., at Chain of Lakes Field No. 3.
