JACKSON, Miss. - For the second time this season, The W baseball team dismantled North Park University, 15-4, in a walk-off, run rule win played at Millsaps College. The Owls (4-5) ended the game versus the Vikings (2-5) in the home half of the seventh, thanks to a two-run homer from
Baron Brack to give MUW the 10-run lead necessary to stop the contest.
The W's third batter of the day, senior
Zach Johnson, clubbed a two-run home run – his second in as many games - that put his team ahead in the opening inning. The W made it 3-0 with a run on a wild pitch in the third. NPU climbed back into the game with a single run in the fourth and two more in the fifth, to knot it at 3-3.
The Owls took charge for good in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to
Chase Marshall's first homer as an Owl. The two-run blast made it 5-3 and, after the Vikings got one back, set the stage for a massive sixth and seventh from MUW's bats. A six-run sixth was cued by RBI singles from
Jay Marbutt and Johnson, a two-run double by Brack, and a run-scoring single from Marshall to make it 10-4.
The barrage continued in the seventh. A bases-loaded triple by Johnson cleared the sacks. The very next batter was Brack, who gave the ball a whack over the right-field fence, making the score the 15-4 final when the game was halted.
The top half of the MUW lineup carried the water, amassing 15 of the team's 16 hits for the day. Leadoff man
Matthew Windham was 2-for-4, with a double, walk, and three runs scored, with Marbutt in the second slot going 4-for-5 (all singles), with four runs scored and an RBI.
Johnson, hitting out of the three-hole, was also 4-for-5, with the triple and home run. Johnson drove in six runs and scored three others. Brack hit clean-up and did just the, with four RBI on a 2-for-5 day, and scoring twice.
Marshall, batting fifth, was 2-for-4, with the homer, three RBI, and a run scored.
Starter
Zach Connell went 4.1 innings, allowed just one hit, but three earned runs, not helped by five walks issued (to three strikeouts).
Chris Ellis tossed 2.2 frames of four-hit, one run, relief to pick up the win and even his personal record at 1-1.
The W will play Alma College (Mich.) on Monday afternoon (4 p.m.) at Millsaps, in its final pre-SLIAC game of the season.