QUEENS, N.Y. – Adam Agresti crushed a walk-off two-run homer in the 16th inning to take down Maine, 7-5, on Friday afternoon at Jack Kaiser Stadium in Queens, N.Y.
Jackson Tucker rang up a team-best three hits and three runs scored to go along with an RBI, a double and a stolen base for the Red Storm (4-11). Jayder Raifstanger and Jared Beebe each tallied two hits a piece with an RBI in the contest. Raifstanger hit a triple and Beebe logged a double against the Black Bears (4-11). Luke Orbon also contributed a pair of base knocks and a run scored on Friday afternoon.
Evan Chaffee was fantastic for the Johnnies, only allowing one run while striking out six across five complete innings of work. Tyler Longoria showed out in extras, going for four innings, giving up only one hit and tossing a season-high six punchouts for his first career win.
The Black Bears kicked off the game by working a pair of walks to put runners on the corners with two outs, just before Will Burns hit an infield single, giving Maine a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Chaffee was able to strand a pair of runners after throwing his third strikeout of the inning to flip the frame.
After three straight shutdown frames from Chaffee, Jackson Tucker led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to shallow center field before stealing second base and advancing to third on a passed ball. Two outs later, Tucker would cross the plate on a Black Bear error, tying the game 1-1.
The Black Bears threatened in the top of the fifth inning, loading the bases from a walk, a single and an error with two outs. Chaffee didn’t allow any runners to score, generating an inning-ending groundout to retire the side. Maine loaded the bases yet again in the away half of the sixth stanza with one out, this time taking advantage of the situation and bringing in two runners off an infield single and a wild pitch to take a 3-1 advantage.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Raifstanger led off the inning by tripling down the right field line and was brought home on an RBI double off the bat of Shaun McMillan, cutting the Johnnies’ deficit to one, 3-2.
The Red Storm took the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Following Jon LeGrande reaching on a fielder’s choice and stealing second base, Tucker smacked an RBI double into left field, plating him and tying the score. In the ensuing at-bat, Raifstanger singled through the right side, bringing Tucker home from second base to take a 4-3 edge.
In the opening side of the eighth inning, Maine’s Chris Bear singled and Caleb Vacchiano was hit by a pitch before they were both moved over a base from a sacrifice bunt. The Black Bears tied the game again, 4-4, with a sacrifice fly that brought Bear home.
Maine grabbed the advantage back in the top of the 10th inning, as Bear hit a go-ahead home run into left field with no outs, putting the Black Bears on top, 5-4.
Tucker led off the bottom of the 10th by laying down a bunt for a single and going to second base on the same play off a wild throw by Maine’s pitcher. He then tagged up, going to third on a flyout and was brought to the plate by an RBI double off the bat of Beebe, tying the contest, 5-5.
Sam Mettert worked himself out of trouble with a runner on third and only one out in the top of the 12th inning, producing back-to-back punchouts to flip the side.
Longoria shut down Maine in the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th innings, striking out six and only allowing one hit in that span. In the bottom of the 16th, Agresti crushed a ball to left field for a two-run shot, walking off Maine, 7-5.
The Red Storm will continue its series with Maine tomorrow at Jack Kaiser Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Queens, N.Y.
