Box Score Jeremy Zalacca - Director of Athletic Communications
MISENHEIMER, N.C. - For the seventh time this season, the Pfeiffer baseball team (7-14) found itself on the wrong end of a 1-run decision as the Falcons fell to Catawba (10-8) by a final score of 9-8 in 10 innings on Tuesday night. The Falcons used seven pitchers on the night and had the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the 10th but couldn't even the contest.
Pfeiffer took an early lead in the bottom of the second on consecutive RBI's from Brandall Peters and Derek Perry. However, the Indians erupted for five runs on four hits in the top of the fourth jump ahead. In the bottom half of the inning, Pfeiffer strung together three straight hits and Perry's infield single plated Tanner Mathis to cut the lead to 5-3.
Catawba answered right back in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly but Pfeiffer wouldn't back down. In the bottom of the fifth, the Falcons took advantage of a fielding error to plate a pair of runs and cut the lead to 6-5.
The biggest Pfeiffer hit of the night came in the bottom of the seventh as Mathis crushed a 2-out, 2-run double to left center that scored Chaston Gordon and Jordan Eckard and gave Pfeiffer a brief 7-6 advantage. Catawba would tie the game in the top of the 8th and sent the game into extra innings.
The visitors pushed across two runs on just one hit in the top of the 10th but Pfeiffer had one final rally. Peters led off the inning by being hit by a pitch and, after a couple of fly outs, would come around to score on Eckard's double to right center. However, Eckard would be stranded on second as Bryan Blanton earned his first save of the year.
Eckard finished the night with three hits and two runs scored, while Peters reached base four times. Perry and Mathis each recorded two hits and two RBI's.
The Falcons look to bounce back from their string of close losses when they travel to Belmont Abbey for a weekend series starting on Friday at 6 p.m.
