Baseball / Lafayette Beats Butler 11-8. PLCS Tied 1-1

Lafayette Beats Butler 11-8. PLCS Tied 1-1

Date:  Source: Prospect Collegiate Baseball LLC

BUTLER, Pa. - The Lafayette Aviators broke out offensively and took advantage of two Butler errors that led to four unearned runs and an 11-8 victory over the Butler BlueSox at Kelly Automotive Park Saturday in Game Two of the Prospect League Championship Series. With the series tied at a game a piece, Sunday's game will produce the 2017 Prospect League Champion.

Lafayette got on the board first with a three-run top-of-the-first. Brian Sharp (University of Missouri) singled to leadoff the game and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch and scored on a Dougie Parks (Eastern Illinois University) ground ball to shortstop that resulted in a Butler error with two outs in the inning. Even Kennedy (Purdue University) then hit a two-run home run to make it three-nothing Lafayette after a half-inning. All three of the Aviators' runs were unearned.

Butler got one run back in the bottom half of the first when Tanner Murphy (University of North Florida) walked to open the frame and scored on a Pavin Parks (Tallahassee Community College) RBI triple to cut the Lafayette lead to 3-1.

The Aviators put up another three-spot in the second. Jawan McAllister (Longwood University) doubled to start the inning. With two outs, McAllister moved to third on a wild pitch and then scored on Sharp's second hit on the game, an RBI double. Sharp then crossed the plate on a Cory Heffron (Wright State University) RBI single. After Heffron stole second base, Logan Beaman (Eastern Illinois University) singled to right field to score Heffron and make it 6-1 Lafayette after an inning and a half.

In the top of the third, Lafayette scored two more. Parks doubled to start the inning and scored on a Trey Bridis (Youngstown State University) double. Bridis then scored on the play, thanks to Butler's second error of the game, this time on the catcher. Lafayette led 8-1 until the bottom of the seventh.

Stefan Mrkonja (Point Park University) singled to start the home half of the seventh for the BlueSox and scored two batters later on a Parks RBI single to make cut the Aviators' lead to 8-2.

Lafayette again was able to put up a three-run inning in the top of the eighth. McAllister walked to start the inning, stole second base and scored on an RBI single by Noah McGowan (The Ohio State University). Sharp then hit the second Lafayette home run of the game, a two-run shot, to make it 11-1 Lafayette.

Butler mounted a rally over the final two innings.

In the bottom of the eighth, Brady Gulakowski (NC State) walked to lead off. Justin Kirkpatrick (Ball State University) walked three batters later, followed by a Mrkonja single that loaded the bases with two outs. Murphy then hit a ball that was misplayed by the Lafayette left-fielder and allowed all three runners to score and make it 11-5 heading to the ninth.

After Lafayette was unable to take advantage of a pair of walks in the top half, Butler went back to work on its rally in the bottom of the ninth. Patrick Ferguson (Kent State University), the Prospect League's 2017 Home Run Champion, hit his first of the playoffs to inch the BlueSox closer at 11-6. With one out, Gulakowski struck out but reached first base on a dropped third strike. Kristian Webb (California University of Pennsylvania) then doubled to right field to put BlueSox at second and third. Damian Maglione (Malone University) singled to center, scoring Gulakowsi to make it 11-7. Kirkpatrick drove home another run on a fielder's choice to get the BlueSox within three at 11-8, that's where the rally, and the game, ended.

Every player in the Lafayette lineup had one hit, Sharp had the only multi-hit night for the Aviators in a three-for-four night that included three RBIs and three runs scored.

Butler got multi-hit efforts from Parks (three-for-five), Mrkonja (three-for-five), Murphy (two-for-four), and Webb (two-for-five). Ferguson, Gulakowski, Maglione, and Kirkpatrick had a hit each. Park's two RBIs paced the BlueSox.

Beaman, while also serving as the designated hitter, started on the mound for Lafayette and earned the win. He pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowed just one run on seven hits, walked four and struck out three. Brandon Phelps (IPFW) pitched three innings in relief and allowed seven runs, four earned, on six hits, walked two and struck out three. Jeff Peterson (UMass Lowell) got the final two outs for the Aviators, allowing just one hit in the process.

Alex Stobert (Tallahassee Community College) started the game on the mound for Butler and lasted just two innings. He allowed six runs, all earned, on six hits and struck out two. Jack Herzing (Penn State - Behrend) pitched six innings in relief and allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits, walked four and struck out four. Jake Stout (University of Toledo) threw the final inning for Butler, he walked two and struck out two.

Lafayette hit four doubles and two home runs in the game, while Butler hit three doubles, a triple and hit a home run.

The 2017 Prospect League Champion will be determined by the third game of the Prospect League Championship Series. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. Sunday at Butler's Kelly Automotive Park.