TAMPA, Fla. – The Albany State Golden Rams made history on Friday afternoon, May 16, securing the program's first-ever NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament victory with a thrilling 10-6 extra-innings win over Lynn University at the University of Tampa Baseball Field.
From the opening pitch, it was clear the Golden Rams were determined to bounce back after their day-one loss to top-seeded Tampa. Senior
Austin Roberts wasted no time making his presence felt, delivering Albany State's first hit of the game and later stepping up in the 10th inning with the clutch go-ahead single to center field that sparked a game-winning four-run rally.
The Golden Rams took a 3-0 lead in the first two innings, including scoring on a balk and key RBI singles from Roberts and
Luke Addison. But Lynn clawed back, eventually taking a 6-4 lead after seven innings. Albany State stayed composed, responding in the top of the 9th. Nate Saavedra and Roberts helped spark the rally, with Trent Justice's RBI single tying the game at 6-6 and sending it into extras.
Then came the 10th, and the moment belonged to Albany State. Roberts delivered again with the go-ahead RBI single, followed by Justice, who capped off a four-RBI day with a 2-RBI single to give ASU a commanding 10-6 lead.
On the mound,
Andrew McBride was dominant when it mattered most. Entering in the 8th inning, McBride held the Fighting Knights scoreless over the final three frames, allowing just four hits and striking out one while keeping runners at bay to secure the win and improve his record to 7-1.
Offensively, the Golden Rams tallied 11 hits, led by Roberts' 4-for-5 performance with two RBI and three runs. Justice went 2-for-3 with four RBI, while Addison added two hits and two RBI. The team's perseverance and timely hitting proved crucial in the landmark win.
With the victory, Albany State improves to 31-21 and advances to face No. 1 seed Tampa in a highly anticipated rematch on Saturday, May 17 at 1:00 PM. The Golden Rams previously stunned Tampa 8-6 in the regular season, and they'll look to channel that same energy as they continue their postseason quest despite the loss in Day 1 of the Regional Tournament play.
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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II-level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 11 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's track and field, women's soccer, baseball, and football. All teams compete in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), except women's soccer, which participates in the Peach Belt Conference.
