May 23, 2009

Story courtesy of Bert Sahlberg, Media Coordinator

LEWISTON, Idaho - Junior center-fielder Josh Grooms went 3-for-3 with four RBI, including a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning, to help Southern Polytechnic State (Ga.) hold off Campbellsville (Ky.) 6-5 in loser-out play of the 53rd annual Avista NAIA World Series at Harris Field on Saturday.

Grooms' solo home run to center field put the Hornets up 6-4, but Campbellsville rallied with a run in the bottom of the ninth and had the game-tying run on third when Southern Poly second baseman Scott Haddock made a great play on a grounder and his throw beat Nick Bertolucci to first in a bang-bang play to end the game.

The first of four contests on Saturday featured 27 hits, five errors and 23 runners left on base.

Southern Poly scored in the top of the first to end Bryan Fuller's streak of 21 consecutive scoreless innings. Jake Barrow and Jono Waugh opened the game with consecutive singles. After a sacrifice bunt moved up the runners, Daniel Hester grounded out to short to score Barrow.

The Tigers countered with two runs in the bottom of the second on an RBI ground out by Zach Townsend and an RBI single from Bertolucci.

Southern Poly regained a 3-2 edge in the top of the fifth on a two-run double by Grooms, but the Tigers tied the contest in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Chris Curley.

Campbellsville took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth when an error brought across a run, but Grooms tied the game in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly RBI. Hester also had a sacrifice fly RBI in the inning to put Southern Poly ahead 5-4.

Grooms made it 6-4 in the top of the ninth with his seventh home run of the season, but Campbellsville made it interesting in the bottom of the inning. Jimmy Voelker started the rally with a single and Alex Ponich followed with a double. A sacrifice fly by Townsend scored a run and moved Ponich to third with one out. Hornet reliever Hunter Dinsmore got Colin Bryan to strikeout and then Bertolucci to ground out to end the game.

Barrow had three hits and scored three times for the Hornets (52-9), who advance to play on Monday at 8:30 a.m. against the loser of the Oklahoma City/Lewis-Clark State game later on Saturday.

Bryan had four hits, while Ponich added three for Campbellsville (40-12), which was making its first Series appearance. Townsend added two RBI.