WSSU Rams bounced from playoffs after stumbling in the 9th

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina  -- Coach Kevin Ritsche of Winston-Salem State could only shake his head when trying to describe the top of the ninth inning of a 7-4 loss to Shippensburg on Saturday in an elimination game of the Atlantic Region baseball tournament.

The Rams were cruising with a 4-2 lead, and starter Scott Wells, who had a career-best performance, got the first out of the inning at Wake Forest Baseball Park.

But then the Raiders went small ball — very small ball.

Jimmy Spanos singled to start the rally, Mike Marcinko singled off the pitcher’s mound, and Kyle Hollingsworth hit a clean single to right-center to load the bases. Seth Mahaffey relieved Wells after the third single, then Michael Douglas surprised the Rams with a bunt. Third baseman Levi Grassley fielded the ball cleanly but couldn’t get Douglas at first base, and Spanos scored to make it a 4-3 game.

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