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Viggiani's walk-off grand slam gives
NCWC 9-5 win over FC
 Rocky
Mount, NC -
Senior Greg Viggiani (pictured) blasted two homeruns,
including a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth,
to lift his North Carolina Wesleyan baseball squad to a 9-5
USA South victory over Ferrum College on Friday afternoon at
Bauer Field. Viggiani, who hit a two-run homer earlier in
the game, finished the day 2-for-4 with two runs scored and
seven RBIs.
Wesleyan had taken an early 3-0 lead in
the second thanks to RBIs by Daniel Moore, JJ Allen, and
Viggiani. Ferrum, however, tied the game with a three-spot
in the fifth.
Tied 3-3 in the seventh, Viggiani hit the
first of his two homers, a two-run linedrive to left that
gave Wesleyan a 5-3 lead. It looked as though that homerun
would be the gamewinner until the Panthers tied the game in
the ninth. Ferrum
(16-7, 5-4 USA South), in fact,
looked to take the lead after loading the bases with just
one out, but reliever John Child induced a strikeout and
groundout to end the threat.
In NCWC's final at-bat, sophomore Pat
Laffin led off the inning with a walk, and pinch runner
Gerardo Torres was promptly sacrificed to second by Moore.
After a single to left by freshman Denver Nixon, Ferrum
elected to intentionally walk senior Joel Creef, loading the
bases for Viggiani with one out. Viggiani then blasted
the second pitch he saw over the fence in left, igniting an
intense Battling Bishop celebration at home plate.
Child (4-0) earned the win in the relief,
while starter Max Knowles received a no-decision. Knowles
went 8.0 innings and allowed all five runs (four earned) on
seven hits while striking out ten.
Wesleyan (15-15, 7-3 USA South) went on
to honor Senior Day on Saturday with an 8-4 win over the
Panthers to complete the sweep. Viggiani, Creef, and Child
were recognized prior to the game, which saw Andrew Webb
(4-1) pick up the victory and Child the save. Justin Rahm
was 3-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs, while Moore drove
in a pair of runs.
NCWC returns to action on Thursday at
Randolph-Macon College. Game time is slated for 3:00 p.m.
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