UNCW has just made one of the most improbable comebacks in baseball history, bar none.

After jumping out to a 4-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning against Elon in their elimination game on Saturday afternoon, things were looking good for UNCW.  

However the tide turned quickly as Elon plated six runs in the bottom of the inning and claimed a 7-4 lead.

UNCW could not score in the top of the seventh or eighth innings and when Elon scored four more runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 11-4 lead, it seemed as if the season had just slipped away.

But after the top of the line up went 1-17 to start the game, they got the ninth inning off to a good start and scored four runs to cut the deficit to 11-8.  Elon brought in their freshman closer, but after picking up his tenth save on Friday, he could not stop the Seahawks on Saturday.  Bobby Leeper’s fourth hit of the game made the score 11-9 as he picked up his third RBI of the game, and after two walks, Mike Rooney stepped up with the bases loaded.  With his second hit of the inning, Rooney drove in two miraculously tying the game at 11.  Seven runs to tie the game…in the ninth inning…in an elimination game to end the season…wow.

And it wasn’t over.  Ashley High School alum Shane French had made the only out of the inning when he stepped to the dish for his second at bat of the frame and drilled a double off the wall that scored two more Seahawks, giving them a 13-11 lead.  The comeback would be capped with two more runs, giving UNCW a 15-11 lead which they held onto in the bottom of the ninth.

I’ve seen amazing comebacks, but eleven runs in the ninth inning … that’s tough to beat, especially given the situation.  UNCW scored a school record 14 runs in an inning earlier in the year against James Madison, but that came in the first inning of a regular season game.  Each run that the Seahawks scored during the comeback seemed more improbable than the one that preceded it, but the rally just kept on going.

With the win, UNCW advances to play UNC tonight, with the game starting at about 5:15.  The Seahawks need to win tonight to force a deciding game on Monday as UNC is yet to lose in the double elimination regional.

Game Quotes

UNC-Wilmington Head Coach Mark Scalf

Opening Statement:
“I really don’t know what to say besides I don’t think I have ever been
involved in a game such as that, where you have to come from so far behind.
Our guys continued to put together at-bat after at-bat there in the ninth
inning. Once we got the first four hits I think everybody began to believe
that we have a chance. It just continued to flow for us and continued to
happen for us. It was like their six-run inning early in the ballgame, where
we couldn’t stop them. It was just one of those things in the ninth where
they were not able to slow it down either.”

On when he sensed a turning point:
“Once Carver singled that put three runs on the board. Once Mark singled and
of course Nate came up with a double after that, but we had the good part of
the lineup coming up. Looking at who we had coming up and the approach those
guys have been taking I felt really confident about that part of our
lineup.”

Starting pitcher Seth Frankoff

On the dramatic comeback:
“Well it is the most amazing comeback that I have every seen. We were ahead
4-1 and we brought in a couple young guys that have been there all year, we
felt confident with that. Then they put the six spot on us, but you know I
don’t think we ever gave up. Like Coach Scalf said once we strung a few hits
together we started believing and guys had a really good approach not trying
to do too much with the baseball and push it on to the next guy hitting the
ball up the middle and taking where they pitch it.”

Elon Head Coach Mike Kennedy

Opening Statement:
“I’m just thinking about my club right now. We had a great season; we won a
regular season championship, we won a Southern Conference Championship, and
to end on a note like this is very difficult to digest. I think I’m going to
find out what kind of leader I am here down the road and motivate some of
these younger kids who just went through this. It’s very, very tough. You
feel good about yourself going into the ninth and you give up 11 runs in
this setting, on this stage. I got to motive them and get them ready; get
them to go home over the summer and get better and work. Maybe we can use
this down the road; that old cliché “Don’t let it happen again.” But
overall, I thought it took us a while to get going offensively. Finally,
about the fifth or sixth inning of the day, we got it going, started
swinging the bat pretty well and by that time late in the game we couldn’t
pitch. You’ve got to give Wilmington credit. We didn’t walk a lot of guys.
You’ve got to give them all the credit in the world. It’s difficult to
digest, but we’ll move forward and continue to get better.”

Chris Dove

On trying to get outs in the ninth inning:
“We were just trying to get the outs. There’s nothing in particular going
through your mind. At first, you’re like ok let them get their runs and
let’s just worry about getting outs. As it keeps going, you’re just
continuing trying to get outs and just playing baseball.”

Bennett Davis

On when they started to worry:
“Anytime they get on base you get worried, but towards the end of the ninth
inning you could see things fall apart a little bit and just tie it up. I
think we were up four runs at one point and at that point I was just looking
to get an out. But, then they just tied it up and then tacked on a few extra
ones, which was tough.”

On the Phoenix offense:
“It was tough to digest, there’s no question. I think we have a very
explosive offense and we showed that today; we put up runs when we needed to
and were in control of this game. And to see it slip away was tough.”