MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – Grinnell College's baseball team converted huge ninth-inning rallies into a pair of wins, which led to the team earning its seventh Midwest Conference South Division title in the last eight seasons.
Grinnell combined for 15 runs in the ninth inning in wins of 11-3 and 10-6 over Cornell College Saturday, paving the way to the Pioneers hosting the MWC Tournament next week for the fourth time since 2010.
In the opener, Grinnell broke a 3-all tie with an eight-run explosion in the final inning. In the second game, trailing 6-3 entering the final frame, the Pioneers put up seven runs to pull away.
Grinnell, which has qualified for the league tournament for the ninth year in a row, is now 13-5 in the MWC and 20-12 overall. Cornell is in second place in the MWC South at 10-8 in league play and 16-18 overall.
In the games,
Andrew Shults '19 took over sole possession of the Pioneer season record for sacrifice hits with 11, while
Niko Takayesu '17 tied for the most walks in a season with 30.
In the first game,
Sam Galanek '18 had two hits and
Ben Binversie '17 tossed one-hit ball and struck out two over the final 2-2/3 innings to earn the pitching win. He is now 6-0 on the season, a win total that ranks sixth all-time at Grinnell.
Grinnell took the lead in the first on Galanek's RBI double down the left-field line, but Cornell scored three times in the sixth for a 3-1 lead.
The Pioneers tied it in the eighth when Takayesu was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Shults lifted a sacrifice fly to center.
The floodgates opened in the ninth, all on four hits and one Cornell error.
Benjamin Wong '18 walked with the bases loaded, Takayesu was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Shults hit a two-run single to center,
Matt Hammond '17 knocked in two runs with a double down the right-field line and
Brad Weaver '18 plated two runs with a double down the left-field line.
In the second game, Hammond had three hits for Grinnell and
Gabriel Shubert '20 earned the pitching win.
Cornell led 2-0 before the Pioneers scored three runs in the fifth on Galanek's three-run homer to right.
However, Cornell responded and took a 6-3 lead into the ninth before Grinnell went off, scoring its runs with the aid of six hits and an error.
Weaver led off the scoring with an RBI single to right-center,
Carson Gampell '20 hit a two-run double down the left-field line,
Ben Spencer '20 plated two runs with a triple to right-center and Wong and Hammond each hit sacrifice flies.
Other movement on the Pioneers' season-best chart included Shults (third in hits with 53), Weaver (10th in doubles with 11), Hammond (second in RBIs with 52),
Nathan Zaroban '18 (seventh in sacrifice hits with seven), Binversie (second in pitching appearances with 18),
Sam LaMotte '20 (ninth in innings pitched with 62.2) and Takayesu (fifth in assists with 119).
The teams complete the regular season Sunday with a twin bill at Pioneer Park. The first pitch of the Senior Day affair is at 11 a.m.
The MWC Tournament will be next Friday and Saturday. The Pioneers will entertain Beloit College at 9 a.m. Friday at Pioneer Park.
