Marauders Prevail in 12-Inning Marathon

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Despite losing hold on a four-run lead, the Marauders defeated the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, 12-10, in 12 innings on Sunday afternoon at Hammond Stadium.

The 12-inning contest was the longest game of the season for the Marauders (23-13, 52-49) and featured a 70-minute weather delay in the sixth inning. The victory gave Bradenton the series win, and the team maintained its two-way tie with the Tampa Tarpons for first place in the West Division.

With two out in the top of the 12th inning, Marauders extra-inning runner Jase Bowen scored from third base on a wild pitch by Mighty Mussels (14-20, 55-43) reliever Malik Barrington. Wyatt Hendrie drew a walk and scored on a double by Jack Brannigan, giving Bradenton a 12-10 lead.

Carlos Lomeli pitched all three extra innings for the Marauders, finishing the game in the bottom of the 12th with two strikeouts and a deep flyout to strand Fort Myers’ extra-inning baserunner. He allowed a single unearned run in the 11th.

The Marauders’ two-run 12th came after an 11th inning that saw both teams score one run. Jasiah Dixon broke a 9-9 tie for Bradenton in the top half by scoring on a wild pitch, artfully dodging around multiple lunging tag attempts at home plate by Barrington, who ended up on the ground after receiving the catcher’s throw from the backstop. Fort Myers manager Brian Meyer was ejected by home plate umpire Robert Ginther III after arguing the call. The Marauders lead, however, would not stand, as a Dillon Tatum sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th kept the Mussels alive.

The game’s first five innings provided foreshadowing to the drama ahead, as the two teams traded blows. Jase Bowen delivered a two-run single in the top of the first, but Noah Cardenas tied the score for Fort Myers in the bottom half with a two-run homer. Bradenton rebuilt its lead with a Sergio Campana two-run double in the second and a Tsung-Che Cheng RBI-single in the fourth, but the Mussels kept pace, plating one run each in the second, fourth, and fifth, with Cardenas contributing a solo homer and a game-tying RBI-single off Sergio Umana. Cardenas would finish 5-for-5 with four RBI.

Juan Jerez highlighted a four-run Marauders rally in the seventh with a go-ahead three-run homer, but the 9-5 Bradenton advantage immediately dwindled to one run in the bottom half, as the Mussels rallied for three runs against Carlos Campos and Johan Montero.

The Marauders maintained their 9-8 lead until the bottom of the ninth, when Rubel Cespedes hit a leadoff single and later scored the tying run from third on a one-out grounder which the Marauders infield could not translate into a game-ending double play. After Mitchell Miller intentionally walked pinch-hitter Kala’i Rosario to load the bases, the left-hander struck out Nelson Roberto swinging, setting the stage for the extra-inning saga.

Four Bradenton batters—Sergio Campana, Tsung-Che Cheng, Brenden Dixon, and Jerez—recorded two hits each, while three players—Bowen, Campana, and Jerez—tallied multiple RBI. Both teams used six pitchers each in the game.

The Marauders return home to LECOM Park on Tuesday to open a six-game series against the Palm Beach Cardinals, Single-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

For more information about the Bradenton Marauders, please call (941) 747-3031, visit BradentonMarauders.com, or email [email protected].

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