The Angelina College Roadrunners were a couple of outs away from having to perform some serious mathematical equations to determine their chances for making the post-season.
But after a seven-run, ninth-inning rally ended in a walk-off and a dog pile, the ‘Runners can now book their hotel rooms in Sugar Land.
Alex Walker’s RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth scored Chase Adams from second base to give AC a 10-9 win over the Northeast Texas Community College Eagles Tuesday at Roadrunner Field.
The win capped a three-game sweep over the Eagles after AC took a 7-1 win in Tuesday’s opener. A loss would have left the berth open depending upon the results from the upcoming series with Paris College.
AC trailed 9-3 heading into their final at-bat before setting up the come-from-behind heroics. With the bases loaded after Mitchell Andrews took a pitch off his thigh, Tony Lima singled and Ryan Bellamy drew a walk, Dustin West drove in a pair of runs with a single to left center. Chris Estrada picked up an RBI sacrifice fly to cut the Eagle lead to 9-6. Mitch Henshaw drew a walk and Cort McPherson got hit with a pitch to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed West to score, then Chase Adams tied the game with a two-run double to left center.
Walker, pinch hitting, then lifted along fly ball to the outfield an Eagle fielder lost in the lights, allowing Adams to score the game winner and tournament clincher.
Mitchell Andrews bent a solo homer just inside the pole in left field earlier in the game, and Adams added an RBI infield single. Henshaw added an RBI single in the eighth.
NTCC’s Carlos Roman blasted a seventh-inning grand slam for the Eagles.
In the early game, Jacob Finke belted a two-run homer, and Bellamy and Henshaw each drove in runs in AC’s 7-1 win.
The Roadrunners will host a three-game series with Paris College beginning with a single, nine-inning game on Friday. That game will start at 3 p.m. The series and the regular season will wrap up on Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled to start at 1 p.m. The Roadrunners will celebrate Sophomore Day following the nightcap.
The Region XIV Conference Tournament opens play on Saturday, May 14 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land.
The e-mail address for AC’s Sports Information Director is gstallard@angelina.edu.
