Erie Takes Tiebreaker from Bowie in Dramatic Walk-Off Win

(Mike Godlewski Photography)

By Adam Cohen

September 4, 2022

Quincy Nieporte sent UPMC Park into a frenzy on Sunday, as he lifted a sacrifice fly to give the Erie SeaWolves a 5-4 walk-off victory over the Bowie Baysox. The walk-off was Erie’s 10th of the year and the second for Nieporte. Erie and Bowie are now tied for first

Erie and Bowie were in a scoreless ballgame for the first four innings. Baysox starter Brenan Hanifee did not factor in the decision. He hurled four innings, allowed no runs on one hit, walked none, and struck out three.

The SeaWolves jumped on Easton Lucas in the fifth. Trei Cruz picked up a one-out single and moved to second on a Bryant Packard infield hit. Gage Workman poked an RBI single to center, scoring Cruz. Packard also scored and Workman advanced to second on the same play as Zach Watson was charged with a throwing error. Parker Meadows had his second hit of the day, driving in Workman with an RBI single to give Erie a 3-0 lead.

Chance Kirby no-hit the Baysox through the first 5.1 innings and was tasked with handling the seventh inning. Hudson Haskin opened the frame with a single. Watson grounded one to Workman, and it looked like a tailor-made double play. However, the ball hit off the tip of Workman’s glove but he got the lead runner out on a 6-4 putout.

Coby Mayo followed suit with a single and Cesar Prieto ended Kirby’s start with a three-run jack to tie the ballgame, 3-3.

Kirby received the no-decision. He tossed a season-high 6.1 innings, giving up three runs on four hits, walking one, and striking out six.

Bryant Packard greeted Tyler Burch with a leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh. Andrew Navigato dunked a single to right, which brought Packard to third. Meadows drilled a hard one-hopper to second. Bowie had a chance at a double play but a high shuffle pass from Prieto could only get the lead runner at second. The RBI fielder’s choice from Meadows pulled Erie ahead, 4-3 lead.

Coby Mayo homered off Elvis Alvarado to make it a 4-4 ballgame in the top of the ninth.

Bryant Packard began the bottom of the ninth with a single against Hector Perez. A walk from Workman and a single from Meadows loaded the bases for Nieporte. The Eastern League RBI leader added one more to his total with a sacrifice fly, plating Packard and providing the SeaWolves with a thrilling 5-4 victory.

Alvarado (5-1) earned the win. He yielded one run on one hit in an inning of work.

Perez (0-2) was tagged with the loss. He gave up one run on two hits, walking one, and striking out one in two-thirds of an inning.