COLUMBUS, Ohio – True freshman Brad Hallberg, from Barron, Wisc., hit a walk-off, grand slam home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Team Gray a thrilling, 11-8, come-from-behind win over Team Scarlet in Game 2 of the Scarlet and Gray World Series Tuesday at Bill Davis Stadium. The championship game of the series will be played Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The Diamond Club’s annual BBQ picnic will start at 6 p.m.
Although starting pitchers Eric Best and Alex Wimmers kept things quiet at the start, with just one run scored through three innings, this game turned into a thriller with five ties and lead changes. The ending, in fact, would have prompted a mighty “HOLY COW” if Harry Caray were in the park. The finish was that good. It was a Scarlet and Gray World Series October classic...at Bill Davis Stadium.
“This game had great intensity,” coach Bob Todd said. “I was really pleased to see the hitters do some positive things. I felt our pitchers made some great pitches numerous times when they were behind in the count.”
Hallberg, whose fourth-inning error at shortstop extended the inning and led to three unearned runs - T.J. McManus' bomb to right - and a 4-1 lead for the Scarlet, came to the plate with the bases loaded, one out, Team Gray trailing by a run and just hoping to hit at least a sacrifice fly that would tie the score at 8-all. He delivered.
“I saw the situation happening before me,” said Hallberg, whose parents drove all day from Wisconsin and were in the stands to see their son’s heroics. “We needed one run and I was hoping for a sacrifice fly. My approach was to hit the ball...make contact, and that’s what I did.”
His round-tripper set off a joyous celebration by Team Gray at the plate. A loss would have meant losing this series and eating hot dogs and beans instead of the steak and ribs that the winning team of this annual event enjoys at the post-celebration team meal.
Scarlet could almost taste victory. After Justin Miller pulled Gray into a 4-all tie with a two-run double in the fifth, Scarlet added three runs in the sixth off Brad Brookbank's RBI single and sacrifice flies by McManus and D.J. Hanlin. Then Ryan Dew's RBI single in the seventh countered David Corna's RBI double for the Gray in the sixth.
So Team Gray came to its last at-bat trailing, 8-5. Cory Kovanda singled, Ben Toussant doubled and Michael Stephens was hit by a pitch to kick the intensity meter up a notch. An infield error allowed two runs to score and when Brian DeLucia was hit by a pitch, the Gray had the bases loaded again. Scarlet coach Eric Parker, a master tactician in this event with three Scarlet and Gray World Series wins in four tries, made a handful of defensive replacements in an attempt to hold on to the one-run lead. A strikeout followed but then Hallberg stepped to the plate.
And then...“Holy Cow!”
Game Notes and Good Stuff:
- Alex Wimmers started for the Scarlet and was in line for the win after going 4.0 innings and allowing just one earned run with a walk and three strikeouts.
- Eric Best went 4.0 innings for the Gray. Just one of his four runs allowed was earned.
- Josh Barrera picked up the win with 3.0 innings in relief of Best.
- There were a combined 20 hits today with Team Gray leading the way with 11.
- Every Team Gray starter scored a run and eight of nine had hits.
- Brad Hallberg had two hits and two runs scored in addition to his four RBI.
- Gus Miller had four RBI for Team Gray. Ben Toussant and David Corna also had two hits for the winners.
- Scarlet was led at the plate by T.J. McManus, who had four RBI including a three-run home run in the fourth inning to give his team a 4-1 lead.
- Michael Arp, Ryan Dew and Matt Streng had multiple hits for Team Scarlet.
- Game 3 starters: RHP Drew Rucinski for the Scarlet and LHP Andrew Armstrong for the Gray.
- Game 3 first pitch is 6:30 p.m.
- Annual Diamond Club BBQ picnic first burger: 6 p.m. (Free to the public but donations will be welcomed.)
- It is still to be determined if Game 3 will be a 7- or 9-inning affair. Coaches would like to play nine.
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