Baseball survives wild, waterlogged game vs. Milligan

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - After nearly five-and-a-half hours of buildup, Dylan Hetzler gave the Union baseball team the finale it was looking for on Friday.

Inserted into the game with the bases loaded, one out and a narrow lead, Hetzler clinched a two-out save by striking out Brandon Marello with the tying run on third base, snapping a three-game losing streak while surviving a Milligan comeback and a prolonged rain delay in an 11-10 Appalachian Athletic Conference win.

The two teams were supposed to play a doubleheader Friday and a single game Saturday. But when heavy rains came through in the top of the third inning, Friday's tilt was delayed an hour and 40 minutes, pushing the doubleheader back a day.

Back from the rain delay, the Buffs were treated to a sight no team has wanted to see this season; Angel Mendoza at the plate with the bases loaded. And with Milligan unable to pitch around him, Mendoza took advantage of the prime opportunity, lifting a grand slam to left field to cap a five-run fourth inning that put the Bulldogs ahead 6-1.

Mendoza, who entered the day tied for second in the NAIA in home runs, now has 15 on the season, two of which have been grand slams. He also added an RBI double in the seventh inning.

Union didn't hold a comfortable lead for long, as Milligan responded with five runs of its own in the top of the fifth. The Bulldogs were able to re-take the lead for good, though, thanks to an RBI single by Nick Martinez in the bottom of the fifth.

A Seth Keener RBI in the eighth gave the Bulldogs an 11-8 lead, but the Buffs quickly put the pressure on when Angel Lobo led off the ninth inning with a home run.

They proceeded to load the bases and even get within a run when Jack Sutton hit a sacrifice fly off the recently inserted Hetzler. But the tying run would remain stranded 90 feet away as Hetzler earned his first save by striking out Marello out looking.

Colton Stegman, whose walk on an excellent at-bat helped set up the Mendoza grand slam, had two RBIs, while Mendoza, Hazel Martinez, Logan Romasanta and David Mitchell all had two hits.

The Bulldogs improve to 16-8-1 overall and 7-5 in the AAC, pushing them into a sixth-place tie with Point in the league standings.

The first game of Saturday's doubleheader at Jerry W. Carey Stadium will begin at noon.