Lindenwood (Mo.) Uses
Six in Eighth to Complete Comeback
Over APU Clements drives in four,
going 3-for-5 in historic Lion win
LEWISTON, Idaho - Marty Clements
went 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two
runs scored, as Lindenwood (Mo.)
scored six in the eighth and held on
to beat top-seeded Azusa Pacific
(Calif.) 14-9 in the final game of
the second day of the 2007
Avista-NAIA World Series in
Lewiston, Idaho.
Chris Getz and Mike Parson also
came up big for the Lions, as Getz
was
3-for-4 at the plate with two
runs scored and Parson went 2-for-3,
scoring three times in the win. Two
Lions posted three RBIs in the game,
including catcher Travis McConnell
in a 2-for-4 outing and Ryan Kopp,
the designated hitter, who went
1-for-2 with three walks and a run
scored.
Azusa Pacific (50-9) got a
3-for-5, three RBI outing from Kirk
Nieuwenhuis, while Eddie Crespo went
3-for-4 and James O'Neill finished
2-for-2. Reliever Zach Pettikas took
the loss for the Cougars, who move
into an elimination game on Monday
at Noon. David Fields pitched the
final 1.1 innings for the Lions, who
will take on Bellevue (Neb.) on
Monday at 3 p.m.
Lindenwood (47-18) went into the
eighth down 9-8, and the Lions
started the inning with a double
into right field by Tim Hall, who
advanced to third on a single by
Getz and scored on a wild pitch to
tie the game at 9-9. Justin Lamar
came on to pinch run for Getz in the
inning, and Clements brought Lamar
home on a double to left to give the
Lions a 10-9 lead.
Clements moved to third on a
second wild pitch, coming home to
extend the lead to 11-9 on an RBI
base hit by reserve outfielder Corey
Hill.
McConnell then stood in and was
hit by a pitch to put two aboard for
Kopp, who blasted a 3-0 pitch over
the right field wall for the game's
final three runs.
Lindenwood jumped out to an early
lead with runs in the second and
third innings before Azusa Pacific
stormed back for five in the fifth
to take a 5-2 lead. Neiuwenhuis
helped bring home three of the runs,
doubling with the bases loaded
before being thrown out at third to
end the inning.
The Lions fired back in their
half of the fifth, however, scoring
on a pair of two-RBI base hits and
an RBI single from Chris Bielski.
Azusa looked to take control in
the sixth, taking a two-run lead
with four runs in the inning,
scoring on five hits and two errors.
Lindenwood set up its eighth-inning
rally by scoring a single seventh
inning run, as Parson scored on a
McConnell single through the left
side.
Play resumes in the 2007
NAIA-Avista World Series after a day
off Sunday, with games beginning at
8:30 a.m. Monday.