Henggeler's walkoffs lift UTB-TSC to two wins
Two walk-off hits by Gus Henggeler — one bomb and one bunt — highlighted UTB-TSC victories over Fisher College 19-9 and Valley City State 6-5 on Sunday at Scorpion Field.
Henggeler unloaded a three-run homer to end an 11-run fifth inning as UTB-TSC put away Fisher College by the 10-run mercy rule in the opening game of the day.
In the second game of the day against VCSU, Scorpions coach Bryan Aughney called for the suicide squeeze with the bases loaded, and Henggeler executed it perfectly with a bunt toward third base.
The two wins marked a four-game winning streak for the Scorpions, who are now 12-15 for the season.
UTB-TSC continues the Spring Break string of games with a doubleheader at 4 p.m. Tuesday against VCSU.
"Overall it was good day," Aughney said. "We swung it well in game one, and pitched it well enough to get the W. I really liked our energy in the first game"
The Scorpions started the second slowly before coming around.
"The Valley City pitcher did a great job of keeping us off balance and mixing pitches," Aughney said. "Kevin kept us in the game, and our bullpen did just enough to keep us in it. We battled back and kept on it offensively. This game could have gone either way. The rest of the week should be real exciting."
There will be action at Scorpion Field Monday when VCSU and Fisher tangle in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The two teams also met in a late game that started after 8 p.m. Sunday.
UTB-TSC 19, Fisher College 9, 5 inn.
The Scorpions trailed 9-8 going in to the bottom of the fifth inning. The 11-run outburst was the Scorpions’ biggest of the season and the 19 runs also set a season high.
Henggeler’s homer was the fourth of the day for the Scorpions. Juan Muñoz, Brian Bustos, Matt Ginn also connected for UTB-TSC. It was Henggeler’s first homer of the season. For Ginn, the homer was his fifth of the season.
The Scorpions had 14 hits, including a 4 for 4 day by Jorge Camorlinga, who had a triple, double and two singles. Matt Warner and Walter Blume had two hits each.
Henggeler and Ginn each drove in four runs, Warner three and Camorlinga and Brian Bustos two each. Peter Maldonado scored three times, and Warner, Ginn and Robert Mariscal twice each.
Adam Vera, the fourth ScorpionS pitcher of the day, was the winning pitcher to even his record at 2-2.
UTB-TSC 6, Valley City State University 5, 9 inn.
UTB-TSC had a seemingly comfortable 3-1 lead going into the seventh inning behind the pitching of Kevin Chapman, who started and was trying to record a complete game. But VCSU touched Chapman and reliever Adam Vera for four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.
The Scorpions clawed back and tied the game at 5, sending it into extra innings. Henggeler had a walkoff opportunity in the seventh, but flied out to end the inning.
In the ninth, Jorge Camorlinga led off the inning with a single, extending his hitting streak to nine games. Peter Maldonado singled and Matt Ginn walked to load the bases. With one out, Henggeler then laid down a beautiful bunt to end the game.
The Scorpions, who had only three hits in the first six innings and still led 3-1, finished with nine hits. Maldonado scored twice and Ignacio Celedon drove in two runs.
Sam Buchanan pitched the final two innings of scoreless baseball to record his first victory of the season.
