Mud Hens triumph over Bats in thrilling extra-inning victory

The Mud Hens fought until the very end, securing an 11-10 win against the Bats after extra innings.

Ty Madden threw the game’s first pitch at 7:05 PM tonight. Although the Bats racked up two runs off a home run, Madden shut them down with three strikeouts, even after taking a hit to the shoulder on a line drive near the mound. Spencer Torkelson hit a home run beyond center field to put the first run on the board for the Mud Hens. Dillion Dingler followed with his own home run on a fly ball to right field, igniting the crowd.

The Bats started the second inning with a home run, but Ryan Kreidler’s home run on a fly ball to center allowed the Mud Hens to stay tied. Justice Bigbie hit a single on a sharp line drive to center field and advanced to third base due to a fielding error by the Bats.

In the top of the third, the Bats earned a few more runs on doubles. Sean Guenther replaced Madden, and Torkelson earned the last out at first base. The Mud Hens had a quick bottom of the third, but plenty of baseball remained. The fourth inning was quiet for the Bats. In the bottom of the fourth, Dingler crushed a home run on a fly ball to left field, his second of the night.

Garrett Hill replaced Guenther during the top of the fifth, making his debut in Toledo. It was another quiet inning for the Bats, with great defensive skills from Andrew Navigato, Torkelson, and Bigbie. Riley Unroe hit a home run on a fly ball to right field, decreasing the Bats’ lead. Navigato followed with another home run, making it back-to-back homers and the sixth of the night for the Mud Hens. Akil Baddoo singled on a grounder, prompting a pitching change for the Bats. Dingler hit a ground ball to right field, putting two Hens on the bases. Ryan Vilade smashed a triple off the wall, bringing home two runs and giving the Mud Hens the lead.

After a 1-2-3 inning for the Bats, Navigato came close to a home run but settled for a triple off a fly ball to left field in the bottom of the sixth. The Bats tied the game with a home run in the top of the seventh, but the Mud Hens regained the lead when Torkelson and Dingler walked, and Vilade singled. Kreidler hit a line drive to right field, ending the seventh inning with a one-run lead.

The Bats tied the game with a home run in the top of the eighth, but the Mud Hens responded with a double from Navigato to right field. Torkelson brought him home with a single, tying the game again.

In the top of the ninth, the Mud Hens kept the Bats quiet with a 1-2-3 inning. The bottom of the tenth saw Bigbie and Unroe drawing walks, but it wasn’t enough, forcing extra innings.

The Mud Hens held the Bats at ten runs and needed just one run to win. With the bases loaded and one out, Vilade came up to bat and delivered a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Baddoo to score. The Hens claimed the win and celebrated with a cooler dump over Vilade’s head.

The Mud Hens will face the Bats again tomorrow at 7:05 PM.

Notables:

Andrew Navigato (3-5, RBI, HR)

Dillion Dingler (3-3, 3RBI 2HR)

Ryan Vilade (2-5, 4RBI)