Stewart Drives In Winning Run in 10th to Beat SWC

For the second time in three games the Knights have gone into extra innings and come away with a victory. On Thursday it was Connor Stewart who drove in the game-winning run in the top of the 10th to give City a 4-3 road win over Southwestern to even the 3-game series at one game a piece.

Stewart, who leads the team in hits (53) and is second in RBI (25) while batting .414, went 4-for-5 on Thursday with two doubles, two RBI, and a run-scored. 

With Southwestern ahead 1-0, Stewart hit his second double of the day in the top of the 3rd that allowed C.J. Brown to score and tie the game.

Stewart led the 6th inning off with a single and then made his way to second base on Justin Kerby's sacrifice bunt. With two out, Nickolas Kalafut reached on an error and Stewart came home to put the Knights ahead, 2-1.

That lead did not last long, however, as Southwestern tied it back up in the bottom of the 6th on a sacrifice fly from Aaron Garcia.

Starting pitcher Anthony Gniady had a good outing with three strikouts and one earned run in 6.2 innings. There were two on with two out in the bottom of the 7th when Nolan Kubilus entered the game in relief and promptly struck out the next Southwestern batter to end the threat.

Kubilus got into a jam in the bottom of the 8th when Southwestern had runners at the corners with only one out, but he got the next two batters to pop up and line out to get out of the inning without any runs. 

With two out in the top of the 9th, Randy Lopez-Acosta hit a double and later advanced to third base on a wild pitch, but was left stranded.

After Kubilus retired the side in the bottom of the 9th, the Knights headed into the 10th looking for the go-ahead run and they got it. Edgar Padilla was hit by a pitch to start the inning and then came around to score off a Julian Nunez triple. Stewart came up next and came through once again with an RBI-single to put the Knights on top, 4-2.

Southwestern scored a run in the bottom half of the inning on a two-out pinch-hit single by Max Calwalder, but Kubilus did not allow any more. With runners at the corners once again, Kubilus ended the game by getting Eddie King to ground out. 

The Knights and the Jaguars will finish off their series at Morle Field on Saturday at 1 p.m.