Schocker's Walk-Off Hit Highlights Griffins Wins Over Tigers

ST. LOUIS, Mo.—The Fontbonne University baseball team took the first two games of its series against Iowa Wesleyan on Saturday. Behind Ryan Schocker's walk-off two RBI single, the Griffins won game one 6-5 (8 inn.) and game two 8-4.

Fontbonne 6 Iowa Wesleyan 5

In game one, the Griffins totaled 11 hits and were led by Michael Golich at the leadoff spot as he went 3-for-4 with a run scored.

Shocker finished the day 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Jonathan Hoevelmann and Michael Puckett Jr., both homered. On the bump, John Hughes got the no-decision but did strike out a season-high seven batters in 4.2 innings. Brett Lange, meanwhile, picked up the win.

The Tigers (6-28; 0-18 SLIAC), ended with seven hits. Parker Leland led the offense with his 3-run homer. On the mound, reliever Brandon Devillier suffered the defeat after going 2.1 innings, allowing two runs and striking out one.

It was a scoreless game up until the third. Deiydon Rushing reached base on a one out error and Hoevelmann brought him home with his first homer on the season to left.

Golich followed with a double and Gus Purschke went on to trade places with him as he doubled to left, extending the lead out to 3-0.

The Tigers got one of those runs back in the fourth and went to take its first lead in the fifth. With two on and two outs, Leland took the offering from Hughes over the left-center field wall, giving the visitor's a 4-3 lead.

That advantage was short-lived until the sixth. Puckett Jr., dug in and ripped a no-doubter to left-center to tie the game at 4-4 and give the Griffins the momentum back.

After a scoreless seventh, the Tigers took a 5-4 lead on Tyler Cooksey's RBI sacrifice-fly. The Griffins, though had one final chance to tie or win it.

Puckett, Jr., got things going with a one out single. Pinch-runner Brandon Hinson raced his way over to third on Braeden Dobbs' single to right, who advanced up to second on the Tigers throw over to third.

After Gunnison Heine pinch-ran for Dobbs, the duo didn't have to wait long on the bases as Schocker hit a line drive into left, allowing Hinson and Heine to score easily, giving the Griffins a walk-off victory.

Fontbonne 8 Iowa Wesleyan 4

In game two, the offense took over as they finished with 10 hits. Golich continues to swing a hot bat going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI. He extended his hitting streak out to 12 and has now reached safely in his last 21.

Schocker and Matt Tossick tied with two RBI each, while Jackson Penrod, Puckett, Jr., and Rushing added the other RBI. Lange picked up his fourth win on the season out of the pen after tossing 2.0 innings of hitless ball and struck out two.

The Tigers were held to just four hits and three of them came off the bat of Alex Payne, who also led with two RBI.

In the first, Golich led off with a bunt single and advanced to second on Purschke's sacrifice-bunt. Penrod singled through the left side of the infield and Golich sprinted his way in for the Griffins first run.

In the fourth, the Griffins had the bases loaded for Shocker. He came through with a single up the middle, plating Penrod and Purschke. After a Nick Kenny single, the bases were still loaded for Tossick.

He sent a line drive out to right-center for a double, allowing Shocker and Puckett, Jr., to touch home and now it was a 5-0 game.

Fontbonne added another run in the fourth but the Tigers crawled back into the game in the sixth. IWU scored four runs on two hits and were back in it down two.

However, in the home half, the Griffins put away the game for good. Tossick led off with a walk and he scored on Rushing's double down the right field line. Two batters later, Golich tallied on his 14^th RBI on the season with a double to left.

That four-run lead was more than enough for Lange and Puckett, Jr., to hold down the IWU offense the rest of the way for the win.

The two teams will be back at it in the series finale tomorrow afternoon at Shaw Park. First-pitch at 12 p.m.

Fans make sure to stay updated on fontbonnegriffins.com tomorrow night for a full recap and score.