(RV) Point Park scores four runs in Bottom 9 to prevail over Rio Grande, 8-7

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- (RV) Point Park University put together four runs in the bottom of the ninth to come out with an 8-7 victory over University of Rio Grande (Ohio) on Saturday afternoon at Wild Things Park. 

The Pioneers (16-7, 9-1 RSC) trailed, 7-4, when they came to bat in the last of the ninth. But four hits later -- the last of which was a two-run single by Crixtian Taveras to drive in two -- the Pioneers had won the opening game of the River States Conference series. 

Point Park and Rio Grande (10-20, 3-7 RSC) will continue the series with two more games on Sunday. A doubleheader begins at 1:00 p.m. at Pullman Park in Butler, Pa., as the series shifts north for the final games. The Pioneers ran their win streak to 10 games, nine of which have come in RSC play.

The Point Park ninth started with Isaac Santana reaching on an error. Eddie Javier Jr., Michali Brito and Luis Gonzalez followed with three straight singles to cut the score to 7-5 and keep the bases loaded. 

Rio Grande called on reliever Reid Shultz -- its third pitcher of the day -- to deal with the bases-loaded and no outs situation and try to hold onto the two-run lead. He did get Carlos Martinez to bounce into an RBI-fielder's choice but that trimmed the lead to 7-6 and put the winning run in scoring position. 

Taveras did not waste time as he lined the first pitch he saw into right field for a base hit. Pinch runner Jean Santos scored from third, and Gonzalez dived head first into home ahead of the throw for the winning run.

The late rally allowed Point Park to escape with victory after facing earlier deficits of 5-2 and 7-4. The Pioneers had cut the score to 5-4 with a pair of runs in the eighth on Gonzalez's two-run homer. He was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and two runs. 

But Rio Grande got those two runs right back in the top of the ninth. Angel Cruz hammered a solo homer to leadoff the inning, and later, an unearned run stretched things out to 7-4. 

Rio Grande reliever Hayden Simon was saddled with the loss pitching 2.0 innings and being tagged with six runs. He came on to get out of the seventh after Daewin Spence put together a great start.

Spence held the Pioneers to two runs (one earned) and five hits through his 6.2 innings. Point Park left the bases loaded in that seventh as the RedStorm was ahead 5-2 through seven innings complete.

Point Park had an earlier lead of 2-1 when Brito and Jared Campbell delivered RBI singles in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively.

Point Park starting pitcher Javier Cardoso II was trying to hold onto that lead, but Rio Grande struck for three in the sixth to go up, 4-2. The big hit was a two-run triple by Braeden Gaul to break the 2-2 tie with two outs in the sixth. 

Cardoso went 5.2 innings giving up four runs. The two big hits were that triple by Gaul and a solo homer by Luke Lindamood in the very first batter of the game. 

In the end, a game which both teams had 12 hits, the Pioneers had last at-bats to come away with the victory. 

Point Park's bullpen was key with Jose Moreno (1.1 IP), Ethan Parker (1.0 IP) and Joathan Rivera (1.0 IP) covering the last 3.1 innings. Moreno left Gaul stranded in the sixth and gave up only an unearned run in the seventh. Parker worked around a couple of singles in a scoreless eighth. Rivera limited the damage to one earned run in the top of the ninth and ended up with the win.

Gonzalez, Taveras and Brito all went 3 for 5 on the day. Omar Morillo had a pair of hits to keep his average above .400.