STEENS, Miss. — William Carey University baseball celebrated its 15 senior players during Senior Day, but it was junior Chase Marshall who delivered the game-winning hit. Marshall’s walk-off single in the 10th inning gave the Crusaders a 4-3 win over Greenville University in a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game.
William Carey (22-17, 16-8 SLIAC) took the series from Greenville (16-21, 9-12 SLIAC), earning its fifth conference series victory at CCA Field. The game featured strong pitching from both teams, keeping runs scarce and sending the game into extra innings.
In the top of the 10th, Greenville had runners at first and second with one out. Crusaders reliever Campbell McCluney, the team’s fourth pitcher of the day, struck out the next two batters to keep the game tied. Senior Baron Brack then tripled to center field, prompting Greenville to issue two intentional walks to set up a force play. Marshall then worked the count to 2-1 before delivering a single through the left side, driving in Brack for the winning run as teammates stormed the field in celebration.
Brack finished 3-for-5, scoring twice and collecting two triples and a double. He became the first player in William Carey history to record multiple triples in a single game. The game also marked the program’s first-ever triple play, executed in the fifth inning. With runners at first and second and no outs, Greenville’s Bryce Hayes hit a liner to second baseman Zack Egan, who caught it and threw to shortstop Swayze Rikard, who tagged second base for the second out before firing to first to complete the triple play.
Senior Matthew Windham also had a notable game, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs, including a triple off the center wall. Zach Johnson and Hastings Gibson added doubles for the Crusaders. The pitching staff combined for 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, with McCluney earning the win, his third of the season, after 3 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out five and walking one.
William Carey will await results from around the conference to determine its final seed in the upcoming tournament. The Crusaders can finish no worse than fourth and could potentially secure the No. 2 seed, earning a bye to the semifinals.
