Princeton University Athletics
Tigers Lose To Central Florida In Extra Innings
May 25, 2001 | Baseball
May 25, 2001
Box Score
COLUMBIA, S.C. - The fourth-seeded Princeton Tigers surprised everyone at Sarge Frye Field in Game 1 of the NCAA Regionals, especially the top-seeded Golden Knights of Central Florida. UCF head coach Jay Bergman chose not to start his ace against the Tigers, but rather sent the third man in Knights starting rotation to the mound, Brad Busbin. Figuring the afternoon game against the Tigers (22-24) would be a cakewalk, Bergman wanted to save his one and two pitchers for later games. Imagine Bergman's surprise when the Tigers came out swinging, putting 12 runs on 22 hits on the board and taking the Knights (50-12) into extra innings. Bergman's strategy looked like it would backfire with the Tigers taking a 7-1 lead into the fourth inning. The Tiger offense was unrelentless and freshman reliever Thomas Pauly did all he could by not allowing a run in the last four innings, but Princeton stranded 15 runners on base and lost the game 13-12 in 12 innings. "It was a great all-around baseball game," said Princeton head coach Scott Bradley. "A lot of time people don't understand, because our kids go to Princeton, just how good they are. It doesn't take long for people to find out. Baseball is just a game of inches. It was a great college baseball game. It was a good day for hitters."
Princeton eventually did face Central Florida's No. 2 starter, Jason Arnold, who took the mound in the seventh inning with one out and Princeton leading 11-10. Bill Oakley tied the game for UCF with a base hit in the bottom of the seventh and Mike Myers double drove in the go ahead run. Max Krance evened the score with an RBI ground out in the eighth inning. Krance went 2 for 6 and had two RBIs in the game.
Pauly entered the game in the top of the eighth inning and sat down the side. He faced three batters in the ninth, 10th and 11th innings, allowing only two hits. In the bottom of the ninth, Steve Young gunned down lead off batter Wayne Summers at third on the relay throw from Mickey Martin in center field. Summers was the lead off hitter again in the 12th inning and this time reached on a base hit. With one out and two on, Jason Graham hit the game winnner, driving in Summers from second on a chopper that went over the head of Young at second base.
Andrew Hanson went 3 for 6 in the game with four RBIs. Hanson singled and doubled before hitting his eighth home run of the year, a two-run dinger over the left centerfield wall in the fourth inning that gave Princeton a 7-1 lead. Hanson's two-RBI single scored Jon Watterson and Pat Boran in the first inning.
The Knights scored five runs in fourth to pull within a run, but the Tigers struck back extending their lead 9-6 in the fifth inning on four straight base hits. Boran's single drove in Sean McNally and Tim Phillips scored on a wild pitch. Boran was 3 for 7 with an RBI, Phillips went 3 for 4 with two RBIs.
Princeton starting pitcher Ryan Quillian allowed six runs on seven hits and struck out three over three innings. Pauly (2-1) took the loss, his first this season. Pauly allowed one run on four hits and struck out one.
Arnold (14-2) got the win in relief. Arnold held Princeton to one run on two hits and struck out seven over the final 5.2 innings.
"Our kids are very disappointed, said Bradley. "We lost a very hard-fought baseball game. It could have gone either way. We are going to regroup and turn things around and do the exact same thing tomorrow morning. We are going to battle until at some point they tell us that we are eliminated an not allowed to play baseball anymore."
Princeton will face the loser of Game 2 between South Carolina and The Citadel on Saturday, May 26 at 11:00 a.m. EST. Follow the game live at NCAA baseball.com