Saying Bird was getting stronger as the game went on may have been an understatement. After striking out two in the eighth, he confidently strode to the mound in the bottom of the ninth and struck out the leadoff batter. After walking the next batter, he got the A-10's Student Athlete of the Year Mike Ambrose, hitting .373 entering the game, to ground into a double play, 4-6-3.
As the Billikens celebrated on the field, it didn't take long for Charlotte and St. Louis fans to file out before Dayton and George Washington fans began to fill the seats for the second of three games to be played at Houlihan Park today.
Charlotte will now have to return to the field tonight to take on the loser of game 2 in a do-or-die matchup.

Game 2 begins at 3:30 p.m.