Mitchell and Stags Walk-Off Comets to Wrap Arizona Trip

TUCSON, Ariz. - Brandon Mitchell (CMC) knocked an RBI ground rule double to score Patrick Gavin (CMC) in the bottom of the tenth inning to give Claremont-Mudd-Scripps a 9-8 walk-off win over Texas-Dallas on Sunday morning. The Stags held an 8-1 lead midway through the game, but the Comets scored seven runs across the seventh and eighth innings to force an extra frame.

After the Comets stranded a runner at third in the top of the tenth, the Stags scored their first run in five innings with Mitchell's double. The win wraps up the Stags' Arizona trip and improves CMS to 4-3 on the young season.

The Stags took advantage of two errors in the bottom of the first inning to plate a pair of runs on a sacrifice fly from CJ Novogradac (CMC) and an RBI single from Henri Levenson (CMC). Two innings later, the Stags doubled their lead thanks to a two-run homer from Trey Smith (CMC). After a Chase Eller (CMC) walk to lead off the third, Smith delivered the big fly to make it a 4-0 CMS lead.

The Comets got on the board with a sacrifice fly in the fifth to make it a 4-1 game. CMS responded with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. After a walk and an error put runners on first and second, Novogradac doubled to left center to score a pair of runs. Later in the inning, Gavin doubled to right center to drive home Novogradac and Pat Shore (CMC) collected a two-out RBI single, pushing to lead to 8-1.

The lead stayed seven runs into the seventh inning when the Comets used a single, triple, and sac fly to drive home a pair of runs. The Stags limited the damage and forced Texas-Dallas to strand runners on first and second. At the end of the inning, CMS held an 8-3 lead.

In the eighth, the Comets took advantage of two CMS errors and collected five hits to put five runs on the board and tie the game at 8-8.

After a quiet bottom of the eighth and top of the ninth, CMS threatened to end the game in the bottom of the ninth. The Stags got a runner to third base with two away, but a fly ball ended the inning and sent the game to extra innings.

In the top of the tenth, the leadoff man for the Comets bunted for a single and then advanced to third on two passed balls. With a runner at third with just one away, Brandon Louie (CMC) forced two ground balls to get out of the inning without any damage.

CMS quickly got to work in the bottom of the inning. Patrick Gavin singled to left field to lead off the frame. He then stole second while Brandon Mitchell was at the dish. With Gavin in scoring position and no outs, Mitchell lifted a ground rule double to chase his teammate home and start the celebration.

The 9-8 win closes CMS' trip to Arizona and improves the Stags to 4-3 on the season. They will next take the field on Friday when they host Caltech on Arce Field at 2:30 p.m. to open SCIAC play.