Photo by: Trevor Birchett/MSU Athletics
Team Westburg Takes Fall World Series Opener in Extras
October 10, 2019 | Baseball
Hatcher leads Team Westburg at the plate with two hits, Logan Tanner drives in two in game-one win
by: Greg Campbell, Assistant Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Bonus baseball was needed in the opening game of the 2019 Mississippi State Baseball Fall World Series, as Team Westburg built a four-run lead, only to see Team Foscue come back to tie the game in the sixth. After a scoreless seventh, head coach Chris Lemonis called for a modified version of the international tiebreaker and Team Westburg was able to scratch across the go-ahead run, before graduate student Spencer Price shut the door on a 5-4 series-opening win.
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An unearned run in the second inning opened the scoring for Team Westburg, before they added three more in the fourth to race out to a 4-0 lead. Team Foscue battled back with one run in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to knot the score at four, before Tanner Allen registered the game-winning RBI with the bases loaded groundout in the eighth.
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The game was scheduled for seven innings, however, with the score tied Lemonis used a modified version of the international tiebreaking rules, loading the bases with one out to start each half inning.
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Overall, Team Westburg scored five runs – only one earned – on six hits and benefitted from three errors. Team Foscue tallied four runs – two earned – on eight hits and had the luxury of two errors by the other team.
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Each starting pitcher threw well, as Team Westburg graduate student Carlisle Koestler fired three shutout innings with just one hit allowed and Team Foscue junior Houston Harding allowed one unearned run on three hits in three innings. Koestler didn't walk a batter and struck out three.
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Junior Chase Patrick (1-0) picked up the win with 1 2/3 innings of shutout relief work. He walked three and struck out one before handing the ball off to Price in the eighth. Price (1) picked up the save by getting strikeout and flyout in the eighth inning to close out the win.
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At the plate, Team Westburg was led by junior Josh Hatcher's 2-for-3 night with a pair of runs scored, while junior Jordan Westburg reached base twice with a double and a walk. Freshman Logan Tanner drove in a pair of runs with a fourth-inning double and also scored a run.
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For Team Foscue, sophomore Luke Hancock had a pair of hits, scored a run and walked in the contest to lead the team at the plate. Sophomore Brandon Pimentel reached base three times with a single and two walks, while Rowdey Jordan had a pair of hits and walked once. Junior Tanner Leggett drove in two runs with a home run in the fifth inning.
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Scoring Recap
Top Second
Team Westburg got the scoring started with an unearned run. Josh Hatcher led the inning off with a single and moved to second on a fielding error by the right fielder on the play. Kamren James followed with a blooper into center field to score Hatcher.
Team Westburg 1, Team Foscue 0
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Top Fourth
Three more runs – including two unearned – extended the lead for Team Westburg, as Hatcher singled and James reached via an error to put runners on second and third with one out. Logan Tanner  followed with a two-RBI double and later came around to score on a wild pitch.
Team Westburg 4, Team Foscue 0
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Bottom Fourth
Team Foscue got on the board thanks to an error, as Rowdey Jordan singled to start the inning and moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt by the catcher. With one out, Justin Foscue singled to push his team onto the scoreboard.
Team Westburg 4, Team Foscue 1
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Bottom Fifth
After a Luke Hancock single with two outs, Tanner Leggett's two-run home run off of reliever Bryce Brock trimmed the lead to one run. Logan Tanner came on and recorded the final out of the frame after walking a pair of hitters.
Team Westburg 4, Team Foscue 3
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Bottom Sixth
Another unearned run factored in, as Brandon Pimentel walked to start the inning and pinch runner Xavier Lovett moved to third on a Mason Land single. Land then stole second base and the throw down got into center field and allowed Lovett to score from third.
Team Westburg, 4, Team Foscue 4
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Top Eighth
A modified tiebreaker was used in extra innings, as the bases were loaded with one out. Tanner Allen led the inning off for Team Westburg and hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield, allowing the runner to score from third.
Team Westburg 5, Team Foscue 4
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Up Next
The two teams will meet again on Friday, Oct. 11 at 10:30 a.m. for game two, while game three will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12. The Friday start time has been adjusted to 10:30 a.m.
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STARKVILLE – Bonus baseball was needed in the opening game of the 2019 Mississippi State Baseball Fall World Series, as Team Westburg built a four-run lead, only to see Team Foscue come back to tie the game in the sixth. After a scoreless seventh, head coach Chris Lemonis called for a modified version of the international tiebreaker and Team Westburg was able to scratch across the go-ahead run, before graduate student Spencer Price shut the door on a 5-4 series-opening win.
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An unearned run in the second inning opened the scoring for Team Westburg, before they added three more in the fourth to race out to a 4-0 lead. Team Foscue battled back with one run in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth to knot the score at four, before Tanner Allen registered the game-winning RBI with the bases loaded groundout in the eighth.
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The game was scheduled for seven innings, however, with the score tied Lemonis used a modified version of the international tiebreaking rules, loading the bases with one out to start each half inning.
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Overall, Team Westburg scored five runs – only one earned – on six hits and benefitted from three errors. Team Foscue tallied four runs – two earned – on eight hits and had the luxury of two errors by the other team.
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Each starting pitcher threw well, as Team Westburg graduate student Carlisle Koestler fired three shutout innings with just one hit allowed and Team Foscue junior Houston Harding allowed one unearned run on three hits in three innings. Koestler didn't walk a batter and struck out three.
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Junior Chase Patrick (1-0) picked up the win with 1 2/3 innings of shutout relief work. He walked three and struck out one before handing the ball off to Price in the eighth. Price (1) picked up the save by getting strikeout and flyout in the eighth inning to close out the win.
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At the plate, Team Westburg was led by junior Josh Hatcher's 2-for-3 night with a pair of runs scored, while junior Jordan Westburg reached base twice with a double and a walk. Freshman Logan Tanner drove in a pair of runs with a fourth-inning double and also scored a run.
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For Team Foscue, sophomore Luke Hancock had a pair of hits, scored a run and walked in the contest to lead the team at the plate. Sophomore Brandon Pimentel reached base three times with a single and two walks, while Rowdey Jordan had a pair of hits and walked once. Junior Tanner Leggett drove in two runs with a home run in the fifth inning.
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Scoring Recap
Top Second
Team Westburg got the scoring started with an unearned run. Josh Hatcher led the inning off with a single and moved to second on a fielding error by the right fielder on the play. Kamren James followed with a blooper into center field to score Hatcher.
Team Westburg 1, Team Foscue 0
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Top Fourth
Three more runs – including two unearned – extended the lead for Team Westburg, as Hatcher singled and James reached via an error to put runners on second and third with one out. Logan Tanner  followed with a two-RBI double and later came around to score on a wild pitch.
Team Westburg 4, Team Foscue 0
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Bottom Fourth
Team Foscue got on the board thanks to an error, as Rowdey Jordan singled to start the inning and moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt by the catcher. With one out, Justin Foscue singled to push his team onto the scoreboard.
Team Westburg 4, Team Foscue 1
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Bottom Fifth
After a Luke Hancock single with two outs, Tanner Leggett's two-run home run off of reliever Bryce Brock trimmed the lead to one run. Logan Tanner came on and recorded the final out of the frame after walking a pair of hitters.
Team Westburg 4, Team Foscue 3
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Bottom Sixth
Another unearned run factored in, as Brandon Pimentel walked to start the inning and pinch runner Xavier Lovett moved to third on a Mason Land single. Land then stole second base and the throw down got into center field and allowed Lovett to score from third.
Team Westburg, 4, Team Foscue 4
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Top Eighth
A modified tiebreaker was used in extra innings, as the bases were loaded with one out. Tanner Allen led the inning off for Team Westburg and hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield, allowing the runner to score from third.
Team Westburg 5, Team Foscue 4
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Up Next
The two teams will meet again on Friday, Oct. 11 at 10:30 a.m. for game two, while game three will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12. The Friday start time has been adjusted to 10:30 a.m.
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