Category | Sports

Baker hits walk-off to win game

Published on April 9, 2007 by The Sentinel

    Martin Baker was the hero of the night with a game-ending walk-off solo home run to send the Troy Trojans back to Alabama with a 1-0, twelve-inning loss April 4 at Stillwell Stadium. Baker launched the first pitch he saw over the right field wall,

barely out of the reach of the Trojan’s right fielder.

    “I had got under the pitch,” Baker said. “I thought the right fielder had caught it.”

    Once Baker rounded second the eruption from the dugout and stands ensured the ball had cleared the fence.

    “It’s great to get the win,” Baker said, “but the victory definitely goes to the pitching staff for keeping us in the game.”

    The Owls sent seven pitchers to the mound during the game.

“We are happy we came away with the victory,” said head coach Mick Sansing. “The pitching staff really kept us in the game.”

    Starting the game for the Owls was Kyle Muschara, who pitched two and two-thirds innings, giving up two hits.

    Justin Edwards, Kody Paul, Bubba Blalock, Justin Freeman and Chad Jenkins all pitched shutout innings for the Owls as well.

    Paul pitched the fifth and sixth innings without giving up a hit to the Trojans.  

    Freeman pitched the Owls out of a two-out threat by the Trojans in the top of the ninth inning.

    After hitting a Trojan at the plate to load the bases, Freeman got Kevin Weidlich to line out to second ending the threat.

    “We had only planned on using five pitchers tonight,” Sansing said. “With the game going into extra innings, we were forced to use some additional pitchers.”

    The Owls had their share of opportunities to take the lead during regulation, as they left twelve runners on base, nine of which were in the nine innings of regulation play.

    The Owls also had a chance to end the game in the bottom of the tenth inning when Trojans’ pitcher Nate Duhe walked the bases loaded for Matt Dallas with two outs in the inning.

    The Trojans brought in Neal Jordan and his sidearm delivery to pitch to Dallas and was successful, striking Dallas out.

    Jordan continued to pitch well as he retired the first five batters he faced.

    However, the first pitch fastball to Baker would be his first and last mistake.

    “I was just looking for a fastball,” Baker said. “And I got it on the first pitch.”

    The victory for the Owls ended a 14-game losing streak to Troy. And the twelve-inning event was the third longest in KSU’s history.

    Freshman Kyle Clayton [3-0] picked up the win for the Owls, pitching two innings and giving up one hit to the Trojans.

Photo By Andrey Zorin | The Sentinel