Box Score by Cory Guinn
WILSON, N.C. – Junior Shawn Montren drove in the winning run with a walk-off single in the 11th inning as the Barton College baseball team defeated North Greenville 6-5 on Friday in first game of a three-game series at Nixon Field.
The win moves Barton's overall record to 28-14 with a 13-9 mark in Conference Carolinas play and secured the team a spot in the league tournament after a one-year absence.
North Greenville (31-12, 18-4) scored the game's first run on an RBI double by Nathaniel Maggio in the opening inning, building its lead to a 3-0 advantage in the third after scoring twice on a BC fielding error.
Barton got on the board for the first time in the bottom of the third with an RBI single from junior Andrew Webster.
The Crusaders scored once more in the fourth inning on Barton's second field error of the game before the Bulldogs scored three in the bottom half on four hits. Junior Blake Spangenberg drove in the inning's first run with an RBI single, followed by a sacrifice fly to left field from fellow junior Tyler Garrett to score a runner from third. Junior Calvin Hawke tied the game at 4-4 with an RBI single of his own, bringing Spangenberg across the plate.
North Greenville retook the lead with a run in the fifth inning before Barton tied the game again at 5-5 with a run in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded and one out, freshman Ricks Dearing laid down a squeeze bunt that scored pinch runner Charlie Vaughan.
Neither team scored in the ninth, leading to extra innings where both sides went scoreless again in the 10th inning.
In the 11th inning, Barton loaded the bases with one out after an intentional walk to senior Ben Youngblood, leaving a force out at any base. Montren, who was inserted into the game in the ninth as a defensive replacement, hit a high chopping grounder to first, bringing home redshirt-junior Chris Davis from third to seal the walk-off victory.
Barton starter Dylan Ward received a no-decision after pitching nine innings on the mound, allowing five runs (two earned) on nine hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Freshman Ryan Pifer allowed one hit with a strikeout in one inning of relief, while fellow freshman Blake Helms (3-0) got the win after also allowing just one hit with a strikeout in an inning of work.
Hawke led the BC offense with a 4-for-5 performance at the plate with an RBI, while Garret was 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Webster, Youngblood, sophomore Hunter Pearre and Gatlin Pate each had two hits, as Spangenberg was 1-for-2 with two walks, a run scored and an RBI of his own.
The Bulldogs and Crusaders conclude the three-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow at Nixon Field. Game one is scheduled to begin at Noon as the program will honor its senior class in a ceremony between game one and game two.
