Vince Claudio went all 11 innings Friday for Shenandoah, striking out 10 and allowing four hits.
DEMOREST, Ga. -- Lew Johnson raced home on a wild pitch in the 11th and Vince Claudio went the distance Friday, striking out 10, as Shenandoah edged Birmingham Southern 5-4 in an elimination game at the Demorest Regional.
Claudio improved to 8-1, giving up just four hits and four walks.
Johnson drew a leadoff walk in the 11th against reliever David Bourbonnais (6-2) and was sacrificed to second by Corbin Lucas. A Billy Arens groundout moved Johnson to third, and after Bourbonnais walked pinch-hitter Andrew Creamer, the submariner uncorked a wild pitch on a 2-1 count to Michael Paul that allowed Johnson to race home with the winning run.
In the 11th, Claudio retired the Panthers (35-12) in order on a fly to right, a groundout to short and a groundout to second.
The Hornets took the early lead with two runs in the second before B-SC answered with three in its half of the frame and one more in the third. Claudio then settled in and allowed just four runners after the third inning and retired 19 of the final 21 hitters he faced. The lone batters to reach base did so on an error in the ninth and a one-out walk in the 10th. After issuing that walk, Claudio struck the next two batters out.
Johnson, in addition to scoring the game-winning run, had a two-run single up the middle in the second to get SU on the board. Junior Daniel Freshley tied the game for the victors with a two-run, two-out double to left in the sixth. Freshley and Dan Powers both had two hits to lead the Shenandoah offense. Lucas reached base three times in five at-bats from the leadoff spot.
