David Lykens was one RBI shy of tying the single-game school record in John Carroll's comeback win over Moravian
Box Score
After four innings of today's baseball game, in which his John Carroll squad was trailing 8-1,
Marc Thibeault and his coaching staff were looking for some sign of life.
What they got was something they hope to bottle and use when necessary for the remainder of the 2013 campaign.
The Blue Streaks uncorked 17 unanswered runs to turn what looked to be a rout going the other way into an improbable 18-8 victory.
Five runs in the fifth, two in the sixth, four in the seventh and six in the eighth completely turned the tide against the Greyhounds, who earlier in the day had knocked off a top ten team (#8 Adrian) by a 15-8 count.
JCU had scored first when
David Lykens drove in a run in the top of the opening frame, but Moravian scored the next eight to chase starter
Ryan Donegan.
The comeback began in the top of the fifth. Lykens,
Jimmy Spagna,
Ryan Konsler and
Chet Lauer all had RBI hits to pull the Blue Streaks to within two at 8-6. Lykens drove in two runs, while Konsler had one of John Carroll's two triples on the day.
John Carroll then tied the game at 8-8 in the top of the sixth when Spagna belted a one-out triple to score
Mitchell Herringshaw and
Bobby Sabatino.
Herringshaw gave the Streaks their first lead with an RBI single in the seventh. in the very next at bat, Lykens crushed a three-run home run to put JCU up by a 12-8 count.
For added insurance, John Carroll put up a half-dozen runs in the eighth, keyed by doubles from Sabatino, Lykens, Spagna, and
Mark Huddle.
John Carroll (4-3) pounded out 25 hits -- the third highest single game total in program history.
Lost in the shuffle of this historic comeback was the outstanding pitching of relievers
Aaron Lapaglia and
Patrick O'Brien, who completely shut down the high-flying Moravian offense while allowing the John Carroll bats to come alive. Lapaglia, who picked up his first collegiate win, worked 3.1 innings and gave up no runs on two hits, striking out three and walking just one. O'Brien finished the game off with two scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits.
