LAKELAND, Fla. – Barry University’s baseball team lost an extra-innings thriller Friday night in the first game of a three-game series against Sunshine State Conference foe Florida Southern, 6-5 in 12 innings.
Barry (17-8, 4-3 SSC) scored the game’s first run in the top of the first when Tyler Kellmann delivered a clutch two-out RBI single to plate Sheehan Planas-Arteaga.
Calvin Rayburn held the Moccasins’ bats in-check throughout the first five innings but ran into a little bit of trouble in the sixth.
Florida Southern (9-11, 4-0 SSC) added two runs in the sixth and one in each the seventh and eighth innings to extend their lead to 4-1.
This wasn’t the first time this group of Buccaneers had been down but tonight Barry was down to its final strike of the game.
Tim Blackmon delivered a two-out bases-clearing triple to tie the game at four in the top of the ninth inning, breathing life into a team that can never be counted down until the final out.
Tyler Petsch pitched three scoreless innings in relief and was able to escape a jam in the bottom of the tenth that saw the game-winning run advance to third with less than two outs.
Petsch would strike out the following batter and induce a ground ball out to strand the runner at third. In 3.1 innings Petsch allowed just one run (unearned) and finished with 3 K’s.
In the top of the twelfth inning Jay Bellot delivered a pinch hit single through the left side to start the rally. Michael Diaz followed with a sacrifice bunt to advance Bellot to second. After a balk advance Bellot to third, Planas put Barry ahead, 5-4 with a sacrifice fly to plate Bellot.
It seemed like the Bucs were headed towards their ninth consecutive win but the Mocs capitalized on a Bucs’ defensive miscue to score a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame en route to the win.
Rayburn tossed 7.2 innings, allowed four runs, three earned and struck out three.
Steve Burnham picked up the win for Mocs after throwing three innings in relief.
Michael Slabach added a pair of hits including a double in a 2-for-5 night.
The two teams will finish the series with a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Live-stats and audio broadcast will be available through the Barry University athletics website, GOBARRYBUCS.COM.