A-Sun: Fireworks in the 11th

By Bryan App - May 25, 2007

If anything is going to wake up Stetson and the Hatters home crowd, it has to be the play at the plate that ended the top of the 11th.

With bases loaded and one out, Mercer's Mike Armstrong flied out to shallow center field, and pinch runner Richard Bentley tagged and tried to score from third. A strike from Stetson center fielder Shane Jordan to catcher Mark Rood had Bentley pegged just in front of the plate. So Bentley dropped his shoulder and barreled through Rood, who hit the dirt but held onto the ball to complete the inning-ending double play.

Rood jumped to his feet and spiked the ball into the clay while screaming toward the Mercer dugout. Both benches cleared, but players were corralled by coaches and ushered back to their dugouts. Bentley was ejected from the game for delivering the blow.

Still tied at 1 going into the bottom of the 11th. Let's see if this lights a fire under Stetson.