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Box Score

COLUMBUS – The Capital University baseball team (7-5) won Friday afternoon in 13 innings as third baseman Ryan Pearson's (Springfield, Ohio) two-out, two-run single gave the Crusaders a 6-5 win over Denison in Capital's home opener at Clowson Field. 

In the top of the 13th, the Big Red (2-6) pushed across a run making the score 5-4
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In the bottom of the inning, junior left fielder Taylor Branisel (South Euclid, Ohio) led off with a single and advanced to second after senior first baseman Brandon Natale (Westerville, Ohio) was hit by a pitch.

After senior designated hitter Dean Langholz (Pittsburgh, Pa.) struck out for the second out of the inning, second baseman Brian Wyer (New Albany, Ohio) worked a walk to load the bases and force a Denison pitching change.

Following the pitching change, Pearson drove the first pitch he saw from the Denison reliever over the head of the centerfielder, plating two and sending the dugout running onto the field in celebration. 

Junior right-hander Sam Sifferlin (Wooster, Ohio) was the pitcher of record (1-0), tossing five innings in relief and allowing just one unearned run.

Junior Justin Hoying (Ft. Loramie, Ohio) started the ballgame for the Crusaders and pitched five strong innings of four-hit, one run ball.

The Crusaders jumped out in front of the Big Red 2-0 after the first inning behind RBI hits by junior Taylor Branisel (South Euclid, Ohio) and Natale

After Capital took a 3-0 lead behind a Nate Campbell (Latrobe, Pa.) RBI single in the bottom of the second inning, the Big Red started to chip into the lead, pushing across a run across in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the inning, Branisel crushed a solo home run to right field to give the Crusaders a 4-1 lead. 

Following up a one-run sixth, the Big Red knotted things up at 4-4 after a two-run seventh, which ultimately sent the game into extra innings.

After two scoreless innings, the Big Red threated in the top of the 12th inning with a runner on second and two outs in the inning. Following a single to center, Campbell fired a seed to sophomore catcher Matt Carnahan (Moundsville, W.Va.) to get the Denison runner at home and preserve the tie. 

The Crusaders scored six runs on 13 hits and committed just one error in the contest.

Capital continues non-conference play tomorrow against Ohio Christian at Paints Field in Chillicothe, Ohio. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.