Published: June 16, 2009 10:03 am      

Mississippi falls short of comeback

Team Mississippi was headed up river without a paddle, Tuesday morning at Mike Deak Field, when they ended the bottom of the fifth inning, trailing team Tennessee, 7-2.

Team Tennessee extended their lead with two more runs in the top of the sixth, that made the score 9-2.

Team Mississippi rallied back in the bottom of the sixth with seven huge runs that tied the ball game, 9-9.

After both teams completed a scoreless seventh inning team Tennessee added a run in the top of the eighth inning, that made the score 10-9, with two outs.

There were runners on first and second for team Tennessee, with two outs — Chase Lewallen was brought in to pitch for team Mississippi.

Lewallen walked the bases loaded when he faced his first batter, then he walked another batter that forced a run to cross home plate. Tennessee was given a free run when team Mississippi Head Coach Stacy Hester, swapped Lewallen with Nick Johnson, who was playing second base.

“Our problem is not knowing all of our pitchers,” Hester said. “The team got together the day before we came out here and we really didn’t know what our pitchers could do. It’s a tough situation for all of us coaches out here to do the right thing at the right time.”

Johnson faced team Tennessee's Luke Deaton who struck out looking, that closed the inning, 11-9.

Team Mississippi's big man Wes Rea, hit a single between a diving Tennessee shortstop and third base. Lewallen went up next and advanced Rea to second base from line-drive single up the middle.

Team Tennessee's pitcher Robert Hansen, walked the bases loaded with the potential winning run on first base with only one out.

Johnson hit a ground ball to Tennessee's second baseman Ethan Gross who turned it into 4-6-3 double play, that ended the game and Mississippi’s hopes at a comeback.

Team Tennessee won 11-9, in eight innings.

Contact Porky Falcon at pfalcon@mcalesternews.com