The American team scored twice in each of the seventh and eighth innings to pull out a 5-2 victory over the National squad in the Kentucky Prospects Collegiate Baseball League Friday night in Paducah.
Braxton Zivic (Southeast Missouri State) doubled home two runs with one out in the top of the seventh as the American side erased a 2-1 deficit and took the lead for good at historic Brooks Stadium.
Blake Schmitt (Purdue) and Tyler Belcher (Marshall County/Southeastern Illinois) had back-to-back RBI doubles with one out in the eighth to extend the margin to 5-2.
Trey Hutchinson (Union County/Murray State) singled home the game’s first run in the bottom of the first to put the National squad up 1-0.
The American team drew even at 1-1 in the top of the third when Eric Riffe (Paducah Tilghman/Western Kentucky) drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs.
But the National side went back up in the bottom of the fifth. Jacob Pennington (Murray State) drove in a run with a one-out single to right. That put runners on the corners, but a strikeout and a groundout ended the frame.
The National team stranded 11 baserunners in the contest while the American squad left 10 men on base.
Cameron Head (Livingston Central/Southeastern Illinois), the third of four pitchers for the American team, picked up the win on the mound He tossed 3-2/3 innings of shutout ball, striking out five and walking one while not giving up a base hit.
Bryce Thomas (Caldwell County/Northern Kentucky) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the save.
Belcher was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles for the American team.
Pennington was 2-for-3 and scored a run for the National squad. Jase Felker (Caldwell County/Rend Lake) added a double.
The teams are slated to play again Monday night at 6:30 in Paducah.
