Owls rally, win opener in extra innings

The Statesville Owls have a flair for the dramatic. They won their Southern Collegiate Baseball League season opener for the second time in as many years in their final at-bat, this time prevailing 5-4 Monday night over the Carolina Chaos of Clemson, S.C.
The Owls rallied from a three-run deficit to force extra innings. They loaded the bases with no outs in the 10th, and Kenny Jackson scored the game-winning run from third on William Henderson’s ground ball.
Owls shortstop Bobby Gazzola and catcher Matthew Gaine (Herkimer Community College) followed Jackson’s leadoff walk with a pair of singles to set the table.
Gazzola (Hofstra University) was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Gaine went 4-for-5, with all of his hits being singles.
Statesville trailed 4-1 entering the bottom of the eighth. Back-to-back singles by Nic Wilson (Hofstra University) and Tripper Crisson (Catawba Valley Community College) gave the Owls new life.
Gazzola doubled to left-center, scoring Wilson and Crisson, but only after the Chaos first baseman dropped a routine foul ball. Gazzola moved to third on Gaine’s single then scored to tie the game at 4-all on a wild pitch.
Two great defensive plays by Chaos second baseman Tyler Lollis prevented the Owls from winning the game in the bottom of the ninth, but it only delayed their come-from-behind victory.
Wilson finished with two hits.
Statesville native Brennan Daniels pitched a four scoreless innings to earn the win.
The Owls are home again this Friday June 10th with a double header agaisnt the Lake Norman Copperheads. Game times are 5:00p.m. and 7:30p.m., gates open at 4:00p.m.