Baseball: Ford doubles in 10th for walk-off win

After freshman pitcher Nick Donatiello retired the Pirates (16-15 overall) 1-2-3 in the top of the inning, Bowman led off with a ground ball single through the hole between shortstop and third base. Junior outfielder John Mishu then bunted Bowman over to second, and Ford came to the plate with a runner in scoring position and two outs.

“In the at bat previous, he threw four fastballs and a changeup. I thought he would be coming at me with fastballs, and I was just sitting on it,” Ford said of his opposite-field walk-off hit. “He worked me in the first at bat, but the first pitch was away, so I was looking that way. I’ve been working on keeping it that way with my swing lately.”

Head coach Scott Bradley joked that Ford’s swing may have been helped by an injury he sustained in the nightmarish bottom of the ninth that sent the game to extra innings in the first place.

With two outs and a runner on first, Pirates pinch hitter John Beaubien hit a weak ground ball down the third base line. Sophomore third baseman Jonathan York scooped it up but forced Ford off the bag at first with an off-line throw. Beaubien collided with Ford’s outstretched arm while charging towards first, sending Ford running off the bag clutching his arm.

“Our trainer Charlie Thompson was joking with him because, after the play at first base, his left elbow and neck were a little bit sore,” Bradley said. “Charlie joked and said ‘This will force you to shorten up your swing a little bit.’ ”

Ford remained in the game, but the runners had advanced to second and third. Donatiello threw a wild pitch to the next batter he faced, allowing a run to score and tying the game at four.

Having to play extra innings was disappointing for the Tigers (13-12 overall, 6-2 Ivy League), who had taken a 4-3 lead off Mishu’s second triple of the game in the seventh inning, a deep fly ball that hit off the center field fence and scored sophomore second baseman Alec Keller.

In the fourth, Mishu had tripled to right center to break a 1-1 tie. After senior catcher Sam Mulroy struck out, Ford connected for a two-strike single down the right field line past the diving first baseman, driving in Mishu.

But Seton Hall wasted no time in taking back the lead, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth. Freshman pitcher Dan Thomson opened the inning with a strikeout, but Seton Hall infielder Mike Genovese followed with an infield single in the hole that Bowman got a glove on but could not scoop up.

Thomson then worked outfielder Will Walsh well, but appeared flustered after he did not get a call on what appeared to be a sure third strike. Walsh hit a deep home run to right on a full count, giving Seton Hall its first lead of the game at 3-2.

Sophomore pitcher Michael Fagan silenced the Seton Hall offense in the top of the sixth with a 1-2-3 inning. With no outs, Seton Hall first baseman Sal Annunziata hit a sharp ground ball up the middle, but Keller made the backhand scoop, turned and threw to first in midair. Ford scooped up the throw just before Annunziata reached first, and Fagan followed with two strikeouts to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Ford walked and then advanced to second on a wild pitch by Seton Hall pitcher Ed Ras. He advanced to third on a second wild pitch, and with two outs he scored on yet another to tie the score at three.

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Another run from each team led to Ford’s clutch double for the walk-off in the bottom of the 10th, giving the Tigers their sixth win in the past eight games.

“To play a good Big East team like Seton Hall, we always play close games with them, so it’s great to be able to come away with a win heading into the weekend,” Bradley said.

The Tigers will host two doubleheaders against Lou Gehrig Division rival Penn this weekend.