HOUSTON, Texas (Feb. 19, 2017) --
Matt Safranek singled home
Michael Bainbridge with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the third-ranked Mules won their second straight game by a walk-off, 3-2, over No. 37 Chico State on Sunday at Minute Maid Park. The Mules went 3-0 during the trip to Houston.
The Mules (7-2) scored one run in the eighth to tie the game and two in the bottom of the ninth after Chico State (7-4) had re-taken the lead in the top half.
Chico State struck first in the top of the third inning. Cody Snider led off with a single to left. He went to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole third and scored on another sac bunt to make it 1-0 Wildcats.
That lead stood until the eighth when the Mules finally broke through.
Matt Elliott drew a pinch-hit walk, then pinch-runner
Mason Janvrin stole second and went to third on a balk before scoring on
Jackson Schnurbusch's single to center to knot the game at 1-1.
Chico State regained the lead in the top of the ninth inning when Snider belted a 2-0 pitch over the wall in right to put the Wildcats back in front 2-1.
Travis Stroup led off the ninth with a walk and went all the way to third when
Collin Nevil's sacrifice bunt attempt was thrown into right field. Nevil went to second on a wild pitch. Stroup was cut down at the plate on
Erik Webb's infield grounder, but Nevil moved up to third.
Michael Bainbridge then laid down a sac bunt and the throw to the plate was late, allowing Nevil to score to tie the game 2-2.
Webb was picked off second for the second out of the inning, but during the rundown Bainbridge moved up 90 feet to second base. He went to third on a wild pitch and scored when Safranek's single got threw the left side of the Chico defense sending the Mules into a frenzy behind second base after their second straight walk-off win.
Steven D'Amico tossed seven solid innings in his first start of the season. He scattered five hits and allowed just one run.
Tayler Ross (1-0) picked up the win in relief after allowing one run on two hits in two innings of work.
Jae Wagner (0-1) took the loss for Chico State after allowing two runs in just one-third of an inning.
Safranek and Schnurbusch each had two hits and an RBI on the day for the Mules.
The Mules return home to host Fort Hays State next weekend in the MIAA and home-opener. The series gets underway on Friday at 2 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
