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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton and Penn Split Doubleheader, Each Win in Extra Innings
April 23, 2006 | Baseball
April 23, 2006
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
PRINCETON - The Princeton and Penn baseball teams split a doubleheader on Sunday at Clarke Field. The Tigers won the opener 4-3 in their final at bat while the Quakers picked up the extra-innings win in Game 2. In the first game, Penn took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the top of the eighth, but Princeton used RBI singles from junior Sal Iacono and sophomore Micah Kaplan to tie the game, and a run-scoring single from senior Stephen Wendell to score the winning run.
GAME 1
Princeton struck first in the opener with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Senior Zach Wendkos hit a lead-off double to the foot of the wall in left center. After an Iacono single moved him to third base, he scored on a sac fly hit by Kaplan. Penn answered back in its next trip to the plate to even the score at 1-1. Michael Gatti doubled to right field with an out and he scored when Alex Nwaka singled to right field.
Both pitchers settled in from there, keeping the teams off the scoreboard through the remaining four innings of baseball. Penn claimed its first lead in the eighth inning with two runs to pull ahead 3-1. Jarron Smith was hit by a pitch and went to second on a sac bunt. A Nwaka double then scored Smith and Nwaka scored when Josh Corn ripped a double down the left field line. Down two entering their final at bat, the Tigers rallied with three runs to pull off the walk-off win. With one out, senior Andrew Salini started the rally with a single to right center. Salini was the last batter for Penn starter Sean Abate as closer Doug Brown came on and was unable to record an out. Brown walked senior Zach Wendkos, then gacve up a single to Iacono that scored Salini to make the score 3-2. That brought up Kaplan, who after fouling off a pitch, singled to left center to score Wendkos and tie the game at 3-3. Tied at three with two on base, Wendell picked up the Tigers' third-straight single, placing the ball between third and short, as Iacono crossed the plate and gave the Tigers the 4-3 win.
Senior Erik Stiller pitched all eight innings and gave up three runs on six hits, while striking out five. He improved to 2-3 with the win. Brown took the loss as he allowed two runs on three hits.
GAME 2
The second game was another pitching duel that went to extra innings, but this time the Quakers pulled off the win. Penn jumped to a 2-0 lead through two innings with a single run in the first and second innings. In the first inning, Nwaka, who had reached on a fielding error, scored on an RBI-groundout by Horn. An inning later, a double to dead center by Ken-Ichi Hino scored Andy Console, who had doubled.
Penn held the lead through the fifth inning when Princeton moved within a run. Sophomore Spencer Lucian hit a one-out triple over the head of the Penn right fielder and scored on a groundout by freshman Derek Beckman. In the next inning, junior Aaron Prince hit a leadoff single and after going to third on a wild pitch, scored on a Salini groundout.
Neither team was able to score through the ninth, although Princeton left two on base in both the eighth and ninth innings. In the 10th inning, Corn reached base on an error and after stealing second, he scored on a Tom May single. May's hit was a single headed up the middle that bounced off the leg of the Princeton pitcher and shot between the third and short.
Princeton had one last chance to even the score as Doug Brown, who the Tigers rallied against in the first game, came on for the save in the nightcap. After getting the first two outs, Wendkos singled to right and Iacono singled through the left side, but Brown was able to get Kaplan to fly out for the final out of the game.
Brian Cirri pitched nine innings for the win for Penn, giving up two runs on three hits. Brown earned the save. Sophomore Steven Miller took the loss for Princeton as he allowed the run in the ninth. Junior Eric Walz pitched nine innings in the game and allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits.
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Princeton is now 11-20-1 overall and 6-8 in the Ivy League. The Tigers' Gehrig Division lead remains at one game over Cornell as the Big Red and Columbia split their doubleheader today. Princeton and Penn continue their series with a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 1 p.m. at Clarke Field.