ELGIN, IL. - Senior Manny Bobadilla threw out the tying run in the top of the ninth inning to secure Judson University's 30th win of the year in a 6-5 come-from-behind win over the University of St. Francis (33-18/19-11). St. Francis' Steve Kehr singled to right field to score one run and then David Schwabe tried to score from second base when Bobadilla's throw caught him at home to end the game. Judson (30-22/20-10) was down 4-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth when they scored five runs to take a 6-4 lead. Senior Jake Bostwick singled home both Chris Lucius and Trent Golz for the game winning runs for Judson.
Bostwick finished the day going 3-of-4 with two RBI. Senior's Bret Ehrlich and Zach Scipione and junior Zach Williams all had two hits. Williams added two RBI while Scipione had one RBI. Heath Groves went the entire nine innings for his sixth win of the year and had three strikeouts.
The bottom of the eighth inning mounted to be the biggest inning of the game as Judson reeled off five runs to take a 6-4 lead. Entering the inning, Judson was down 4-1 after St. Francis had scored three runs in the top of the eighth to break the 1-1 tie.
Williams singled in Tim Victor to make it 4-2 for the first of five runs in the inning with no outs. St. Francis' Steve Witczak gave Judson their first out of the inning on a highlight dive and throw from the middle of the field but Ehrlich came home to cut the lead to one, 4-3. Three batters later, now with two outs, Chris Lucius doubled to right field as Williams scored to tie the game at three.
Making his last at-bat as a player for Judson, Bostwick hit a clutch single that sneaked throught the left side of the field off of new pitcher Corey Schultz. His hit scored both Lucius and Golz as the go-ahead and security run for Judson for the two-run advantage, 6-4.
Things got a little tight in the top of the ninth as Groves came out to finish the game. The first two batter s for St. Francis reached base on a walk and single. The third batter struck out as the next batter grounded out to put the runners on second and third with two outs. Kehr, the number two hitter on the team, stepped to the plate and hit what looked to be the game tying hit that would score two runs but Schwabe under estimated Bobadilla's arm and was thrown out at home as Tim Victor laid the tag on Schwabe to end the game.
The win is one of the biggest of the year as Judson finishes their season with 30 wins which has never been done before. Judson also amassed 20 CCAC wins to finish in third which is the best finish, ever, for the team. The win also negates the two losses to St. Francis from yesterday and did not allow any CCAC team to sweep Judson completely.
The 2009 Judson baseball team broke many individual and single season records for their play. They also set the single season record for wins. Judson will lose eight seniors from the team that has helped to rebuild the baseball program.
