Three-Run 11th Inning Helps Columbus Outlast Knoxville 4-1

KNOXVILLE, TN., — Free baseball has been winning baseball this week for the Columbus Clingstones (16-18) as the club rode a three-run 11th inning to a third-consecutive extra-inning win over the Knoxville Smokies (16-18) on Thursday night at Covenant Health Park. Columbus has won 7 of its last 8 games.

Decisive Plays: Columbus jumped in front early on an RBI single from Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. in the second inning. That score held until the bottom of the ninth, when Knoxville tied it for the third-straight night, this time with an RBI sacrifice fly from Casey Optiz. After Columbus did not score in the top of the 10th inning, Elison Joseph slammed the door on the Smokies' chance to win the game by striking out Corey Joyce with the winning run at third base. Keshawn Ogans scored on a wild pitch in the top of the 11th to give the Clingstones a 2-1 lead. Columbus would tack on two more runs with an RBI double from David McCabe and an RBI single from Adam Zebrowski. Ahead by three runs in the home half, Rolddy Munoz (S, 5) induced a game-ending double play to send the Stones to another extra-inning triumph.

Key Contributors: Ian Mejia (7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 SO) shoved once again for Columbus on Thursday night. Kilpatrick Jr., McCabe, and Zebrowski tallied the three RBIs for the Clingstones. For Knoxville, Jaxson Wiggins (4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO) was solid in his Double-A debut while Antonio Santos (4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 SO) kept the Smokies around with terrific relief pitching.

Noteworthy: Columbus improves to 5-2 in extra inning contests this season. Mejia extended his Southern League-best scoreless stretch to 30.2 innings and tossed his third quality start of the season. Columbus won its first-ever 11-inning contest, and has won four-straight extra-inning games, dating back to a 2-1 victory on April 18 over Pensacola in 10 innings.

Next Game (Friday, May 16): Columbus at Knoxville, 7:00 pm ET at Covenant Health Park. Radio Broadcast: 6:45 pm ET on Sports Visions 92.1 FM. RHP Blake Burkhalter (1-3, 3.38 ERA) will start for Columbus opposed by RHP Grant Kipp (2-2, 3.76 ERA) for Knoxville.

Next Home Game (Tuesday, May 20): Columbus vs. Montgomery, 7:05 pm ET at Synovus Park. Radio Broadcast: 6:56 pm ET on Sports Visions 92.1 FM.