HAMMOND, Ind. – Jake Soules' (Troy, Mich./Troy High School) pinch-hit, bases-clearing double in the eighth inning capped Tuesday's historic comeback victory as Purdue Northwest erased a 10-run deficit to defeat Minot State, 15-13, in the home opener at Dowling Park.
With the dramatic win, PNW secured its fourth straight victory while improving its overall record to 4-1. It marks the largest come-from-behind win in team history and the second-highest run total in the team's Division II era.
Down by a 10-0 tally after the end of the third inning, the Pride buckled down and got to work by clawing their way back into the contest beginning with
Anthony Fumagalli's (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North High School) RBI single through the left side to score
Hayden Matulich (San Jose, Calif./Pioneer) in the fourth inning.
Minot State (6-7) regained its double-digit lead with a run in the top of the sixth, but PNW responded with its first of two seven-run innings. The bottom of the sixth inning started with the first eight PNW batters reaching base including a hit by pitch, two hits and six walks off the Minot State relief staff.
With Fumagalli at the plate and the bases loaded, Matulich scored on a wild pitch.
Gannon Andrews (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern High School) really got the PNW dugout going with a bases-clearing double to right center to draw the Pride to within six, 11-5. The rally continued as
Luke Montgomery (Orland Park, Ill./St. Laurence High School) and
Ethan Imlach (Mokena, Ill./Mount Carmel) reached safely by way of a walk and hit by pitch, respectively, to load the bases once again with no outs. Then,
Tyler Schultz (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) drew the Pride to within 11-7 when his single to right center was deep enough to score both Andrews and Montgomery. The inning would end a few batters later but not before Imlach trotted in from third on a wild pitch to make it 11-8.
The Beavers would tally single runs in the seventh and eighth innings for what seemed like an insurmountable 13-8 lead with just six outs to go.
But, the Pride had one last rally left in them.
Four consecutive one-out singles got the first run in to make it 13-9 when Matulich drove in Imlach.
Bret Matthys (Cedar Lake, Ind./Hanover Central) drew a bases-loaded walk for the next run prior to
Alex Gasbarro's (New Lenox, Ill./St. Laurence High School) RBI single to score Schultz. That was followed by Fumagalli's sacrifice fly to plate Matulich, and sliced the deficit to one at 13-12 with two outs. Then, Andrews drew yet another PNW walk to set up the heroics for Soules, who made his only at-bat of the night count.
Schultz and Gasbarro led the offensive attack with three hits each. Schultz added three RBI and a run scored while Gasbarro tacked on one RBI and two runs scored. Matulich (1 for 4) led the Pride with three runs scored. PNW was constantly putting runners on base with 13 hits, nine walks and a hit by pitch.
Imlach extended his hitting streak to seven games, dating back to the end of last season. He's reached base safely in all five games this season along with Hilbrich and Schultz.
Eric Beck (Manteno, Ill/Manteno) picked up his first win in his first collegiate appearance of his freshman campaign after recording the final out in the top of the eighth.
Joe Tor (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport (South Surburban CC)) needed to only face four batters in the final frame to pick up the first save of his PNW career.
UP NEXT
Both teams will return to action at Dowling Park on Wednesday with a doubleheader. First pitch for the day is slated for noon CST.
FOLLOW THE PRIDE
For all the latest information on Purdue Northwest Baseball, please visit PNWathletics.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Pride (@pnwathletics / @PNW_Baseball) on Twitter. You can also find the Pride on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
