Posted by Jay Stancil - Thu, May 15, 2008 - [ Baseball ] - Viewed 1334 times

LEBANON, Tenn. - Junior right-hander Marty Popham picked up his NAIA-leading 16th victory Thursday as Union College rallied for a 5-3 victory over host Cumberland (Tenn.) University in the 2008 NAIA South Central Super Regional, evening the best-of-three series at a game apiece.

Union (46-16 overall) and Cumberland (46-20 overall) will meet for a winner-take-all showdown Friday at 2 p.m. at Ernest L. Stockton Field in Lebanon, Tenn.

On Wednesday, Cumberland pulled out the 10-9 victory thanks to a Nick Jiles three-run home run. Union turned the tables as Joe Grinstead (Bowling Green, Ky.) belted a three-run blast in the seventh to put Union up for good.

Popham (Louisville, Ky.) didn't have his usual pinpoint control as he walked a season-high five batters and struck out just six. Still, he limited Cumberland to three runs, all earned, on nine hits as he improved to 16-1 in collecting his 12th complete game this season. Popham's earned-run average is now 2.03 and he has 124 strikeouts and 27 walks in program-record 115 1/3 innings pitched.

Down 3-1 in the seventh, Union had two on with no one out when Grinstead belted a three-run home run down the right-field line to put Union up one. Brett McAlpin (Winchester, Ky.) added a RBI single to make it 5-3.

Cumberland had a golden opportunity to cut the deficit or even tie the game in the bottom of the eighth as it loaded the bases with two outs. However, Popham struck out Brian Lucas to end the inning unscathed.

In the ninth, Popham struck out Austin Morgan to start the inning, but he walked Blake Simmons on five pitches. But that's where the threat ended as Popham got James Lilley to end the game by hitting into a double play as Union won the game 5-3 and even the series at one game apiece.

Union had its chances to score all day but failed to come through with many clutch hits as he had 15 base knocks and stranded 11 men on base. Union also grounded into three double plays.

On the flip side, Cumberland had nine hits and left seven men stranded while bouncing into four twin killings.

Cumberland drew first blood in the bottom of the third when Lilley singled in Morgan with one out. Union tied the game in fourth thanks to a David Fairbanks (Cincinnati, Ohio) run-scoring single.

Jason Bush, though, led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run, putting Cumberland up 2-1. Cumberland made a 3-1 ballgame when Will Curry lofted a two-out single down the right-field line to drive in Tyler Fisher.

The game remained 3-1 until Union's four-run outburst in the seventh en route to the 5-3 decision.

Grinstead finished the game 3-for-4 with a double three RBIs, needing only a triple for they cycle. When he scored on his home run, Grinstead set the single-season record for runs scored as he has now crossed the plate 74 times. He also stole a base, tying him with Tim Galbraith for that single-season record at 46.

Fairbanks went 2-for-3 with a RBI, while McAlpin was 2-for-4 with a RBI. Lioney Henriquez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) ended the game 2-for-5 with a run scored.

Bush was the only Cumberland player to have multiple hits as he went 3-for-4 with a RBI and run scored.

Eric Spivey suffered the loss, giving up five runs - four earned, on 14 hits and two walks with four punchouts.

Bulldog Notes

  • Both games in the super regional have been decided by a total of three runs. Union is 5-3 in one-run games and 4-2 in two-run games.
  • Joe Grinstead's home run was his 10th of the year, joining Josh Ehringer (Somerset, Ky.) as the only Union players to have double-digit four-baggers this season. This marks the first time since 2004 Union has had two or more players hit at least 10 home runs in a season.
  • The four double plays turned by Union was a season high for the team.
Bookmark and Share