Murray State Survives 16-Inning Marathon over Alcorn

LORMAN, Miss. ­­– The Alcorn State University baseball program came back from a four-run deficit in the ninth inning to force extras, but Murray State scored three runs in the 16th inning to take a 11-8 result Monday at Willie E. "Rat" McGowan Stadium.
 
Alcorn (2-2) trailed 8-4 going into the bottom of the ninth inning when it started its rally. Junior Der'Vincent Hamilton led it off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by sophomore Brandon Barna. With two outs, juniors A.J. Makarewicz and Wallace Rios Jimenez both walked to load up the bases. Senior Walter Vives followed with a single to left field, and after the left fielder saw the ball go under his glove, all three runners scored to tie the game.
 
The contest remained scoreless until the 16th inning when the Racers (4-0) struck for three runs. A two-out RBI single by Kipp Moore, followed by a two-run homer by Ryan Perkins gave Murray State the 11-8 edge.
 
Barna led the Braves at the plate with three hits in six at-bats. Hamilton, Vives and Rios all notched a pair of hits.
 
Senior Daniel Belmont made his first start of the season and lasted 5.2 innings in a no-decision. The Braves used eight different relief pitchers and junior Jahborus Smith (0-2) took the loss. Junior Razedrick Winters, senior Patrick McMahon, senior Daniel Corona, sophomore Carlos Lopez and sophomore Conrado Skepple all kept the Racers scoreless.
 
Alex Whaley picked up the win for Murray State after pitching the final 5.2 innings of the game scoreless.
 
Murray State raced out to a 5-0 lead when the Braves started their comeback in the eighth. Patience at the plate was rewarded as Makarewicz and Rios both walked with the bases loaded to make it 5-2. Vives followed with a single to left field to score Makarewicz and junior Christian Acklin to the cut the deficit to 5-4.
 
The Racers tacked on three insurance runs in the ninth inning, but it wasn't enough as Alcorn came back to tie it.
 
In extra innings, Alcorn's best chance came in the 11th when it loaded up the bases with one out, but Whiley was able to draw a rare double play after a flyout to center field and a force out at second base after the Braves weren't able to get back to the base in time.
 
The game lasted five hours and 10 minutes.
 
Alcorn will remain at home this weekend when it hosts Butler in a four-game series. The opener is Friday at 1 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon. The finale is scheduled for 12 p.m. Sunday.
 
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