GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Ryan Martin delivered the knockout blow in a punch-counterpunch game of the final two undefeated teams in the Alpine Bank Junior College World Series on Wednesday, delivering Georgia Highlands a 15-14 victory over Blinn College.
The Chargers (56-8, 3-0 JUCO) saw their 13-11 lead disappear in the top of the ninth, but Barrett Eldridge drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning.
Martin sent the second pitch he saw from Ben Bosse deep into the night, a towering shot that hit the light pole on the way up for the walk-off winner.
It sent the Chargers into a frenzy as they met Martin at the plate, then stamped their nameplate on the bracket board, putting them into the championship semifinal at 7 p.m. Thursday against Northwest Florida State. Blinn (44-17, 2-1 JUCO) faces Florence-Darlington at 2 p.m. for a chance to play for the title.
The final rally happened after the Buccaneers had come back from allowing a five-run inning in the bottom of the eighth to lose its 11-8 lead. A fielding error led to two runs for the Chargers, and Ryan Wideman delivered a two-run single to give Georgia Highlands a 13-11 advantage.
With two on and one out in the top of the ninth, Blinn's Brandon Bishop doubled down the third-base line, driving in both runners, and took third on a throwing error, tying the game at 13-13. The umpires conferred and ruled that the ball did pass over the third base bag before it landed in foul territory. A sacrifice fly by Coy DeFury put the Buccaneers on top again, 14-13, before Martin's winning blast.
Earlier in the game, balls were flying out of Suplizio Field — Caden Ferraro hit a three-run shot for Blinn in the Bucs' five-run third inning, and the Chargers hit five. Luke Orfi, Wideman, Eldridge and Ali Banks all left the yard before Martin's walk-off, but in the later innings, the ball wasn't carrying as well.
Wideman, Eldridge and Banks each drove in three runs for Georgia Highlands, which is attempting to win its first NJCAA Division I baseball title in its first trip to Grand Junction.
Kyle Stephenson got the victory with one inning of relief.