[Baseball] Navarro's Late Blast Gives Falcons Series Win over Ottawa
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Down to their last strike, Emilio Navarro (SR/Porterville, Calif. ) deposited a three-run homer to left field to propel the Friends University Falcons to a 5-3 victory over the Ottawa University Braves in the rubber game of the series today (Mar. 17) at Kansas City Kansas Community College in Kansas City, Kan.
"We've been a hit away, or a play away, or a pitch away from really getting going this season," Friends head coach Adam Neisius said. "We got those big pitches and big hits this weekend, big-time at-bat by Navarro in the ninth. He's been incredible for us the entire season."
To set up Navarro's heroics, Emilio Escamillo pinch-hit and drew a one-out walk that was followed by a single from Jace Snodgrass (SR/Derby, Kan.).
Spencer Rubinoff (SO/Phoenix, Ariz.), who came in with two outs in the seventh, blanked the Braves in the ninth to get the win.
Brian Yount (JR/Lancaster, Calif.) was stellar in receiving a no-decision for Friends, allowing just two earned runs with a pair of strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings of work.
"Our pitching staff did a great job all weekend as well to give us a chance to win the series," Neisius said.
The Falcons grabbed an early lead when Snodgrass led off the game with a double and scored on an RBI groundout by Navarro.
Friends added another run in the second before the Braves answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame.
With the score still 2-1, the Braves would take the lead on a two-run single by Nick Dammeier in the bottom of the seventh. But in what turned out to be a critical sequence, Dammeier was thrown out trying to advance to second for the second out of the inning.
Navarro finished with four RBIs for the Falcons (11-16, 6-7 KCAC), while Snodgrass was 3-of-5 with two doubles from the leadoff spot.
Dammeier was one of four Braves (10-10, 5-9 KCAC) with two hits on the day.
The Falcons' rally spoiled a solid outing by Ottawa starting pitcher Stephen Norrell, who gave up just one earned run and struck out five over seven innings.
The Falcons are next scheduled to host No. 9-ranked USAO Tuesday afternoon (Mar. 19) at 2 pm at the Westurban Baseball Complex in Wichita.