La Crosse, Wisc. – After the Honkers hit a 3-run home run in the 9th inning to tie the game, Randy Labaut walks off in the bottom of the 10th for 6-5 victory.
The Loggers loaded the bases to start the 2nd inning on a single and back-to-back walks. Lars Nootbaar (USC) scored on a wild pitch to give the Loggers a lead. The next at-bat, Gavin Johns (UCLA) hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Cesar Salazar (Arizona).
Loggers’ starting pitcher Taylor Blatch (Florida State) pitched five scoreless innings, but could not get out of the 6th without giving up a run. Casey Worden (Texas A&M Corpus Christ) doubled to lead off the inning. He scored on a single to center by Cole Heavilin (Wagner).
With two outs in the 7th inning, Mason McCoy (Iowa) hit an infield single to reach base. He then stole both 2nd and 3rd bases, breaking the Loggers’ career stolen bases record with his 39th, passing Tony Mueller (2009-2010). He also tied a team record with four stolen bases in the game with Tony’s brother Dale in 2004. He came into score on a double to right by Cullen Large (William & Mary), his 20th of the season. Grant Fennell (Nevada) brought in another run with a single to extend the lead to three.
Joey Czarske (Cal. State Northridge) got a run back with a lead off the 8th inning with a solo home run to right field.
Justin Wylie (San Diego State) reached on an error in the 8th and scored on double by Kyle Plantier (UC-Santa Barbara). Just about everyone in the stadium thought that would be the last run scored.
With one out in the 9th, Field Manager Brian Lewis came out to the field and took Mason McCoy out of the game, and the whole stadium gave him a roaring ovation. Jared Liebelt (Waubonese CC), in his third inning in relief, got the first two outs quickly. But, a Kyle Kasser (Oregon) routine fly ball to right field dropped between the second basemen and the right fielder for a base hit. After another single to left, Casey Worden took the air out of the stadium with a 3-run home run off the scoreboard.
After a scoreless bottom of the 9th, the game went to extras. To lead off the 10th, Justin Wylie (San Diego State) reached on an error. Two batters later, Randy Labaut (Arizona) singled to right-center for the walkoff victory.
La Crosse finished the season at 21-14 in the 2nd half (38-33 overall). Rochester fell to 13-24 in the 2nd half and a league-worst 20-52 overall.
