#MustangsWin! Kirkhuff's Walk-Off Double Gives CBC Opener Over Mission!
| Final (11) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mission (Mo.) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 3 |
|
Central Baptist (AR) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 1 |
Erik Holth, CBC Sports Information Director
North Little Rock, Ark. – Hosting an American Midwest Conference opponent at DeJanis Memorial Stadium for the first time this season, Central Baptist College baseball took on the Mission Patriots this afternoon to open a three-game series. Jaxon Kirkhuff's double in the 11th inning gave the Mustangs (23-14, 8-2 AMC) a 5-4 win over Mission (20-18, 7-3 AMC).
Mission took an early lead, scoring twice off of Dylan Parton in the first to put CBC down 2-0 after one. The Mustangs tied the game in the fifth on Kirkhuff's first hit of the day, a two-run single. Mission put up single runs in both the sixth and seventh innings and led 4-2 late. Jamin Smith, who entered in the eighth inning, hit two batters in the eighth, but retired the side in order in the ninth to give CBC a chance. Garrett Fitts and Preston White were both hit by pitches to start the ninth and Brayden Mayencourt was walked with one out to load the bases. George Astacio came through in the clutch, lacing a two-run single into center field to tie the game at four and send it to extra innings. Both teams put runners on base in the 10th, but couldn't capitalize and Mission got the leadoff runner on in the 11th before a fielder's choice, a pickoff, and a strikeout setup Kirkhuff's heroics in the bottom half. Ryan Dauphinee walked to lead off the inning and was replaced by pinch runner Cameron Harden. Following a flyout, a Harden stolen base and a walk to Astacio, Kirkhuff doubled to centerfield to end the game and put CBC ahead in the series.
MUSTANG NOTES
- This was CBC's fifth 11-inning game all-time, the last coming on April 23, 2024
- Kirkhuff's walk-off hit was the first since Chett McDaniel walked off Columbia on March 1 last year and was the 38th walk-off hit in program history and the ninth to happen in extra innings (Gabe Walker in the 10th against Missouri Baptist on April 15, 2022
UP NEXT
The Mustangs and Patriots wrap up the series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at noon.