Dunkel Records 100th Hit in Express’ Comeback Victory

Never had any Wells baseball team earned a victory after trailing by eight runs in their three-plus season program history, but that all would change on Friday the 13th in Florida.

In a last-minute arrangement to get in a final game in before the Wells baseball team's season would end prematurely on March 13, one senior would hit a milestone while another would cement the team's legacy in extra innings.

Down 11-3 to the Rochester Institute of Technology in the ninth inning, the perseverant Express rallied for eight runs to send the contest to extra innings. A Dylan Nolan single brought in the winning run in the top of the 10th inning, and a Nolan tag would end the contest in the bottom of the 10th.

Lost in all the excitement was Tanner Dunkel's 100th career hit for Wells. He was one of six batters to register a hit on the day with Kevin Spaeth leading the way with three. In addition to Nolan, Dunkel and Spaeth; the Express also got hits from Joe Matala, Luke Eitner and Tyler Young.

Young got the ball running with a two-RBI double in the first inning before the Tigers took their first lead at 4-3 in the third. A big sixth inning for RIT would pad their lead to eight runs before the Express came to bat in the ninth to stage a comeback never before seen by any other Wells baseball team.

After six separate scoring plays got Wells within a pair at 11-9, Spaeth delivered a two-RBI single to tie the score and set the stage for Nolan's winning hit the following inning.

Eitner recorded the win from the hill after entering the game in the ninth for his first win of the young season.

It was the team's third win of their Florida trip. Three players had two RBI each that included Spaeth, Young and Nolan, with the latter adding a pair of runs along with Will Walsh to lead the way in the scoring department.

The Express utilized five pitchers. In addition to Eitner, also seeing time on the mound were Jared Strait, Zach Kemp, Mark Yorkey and Derek Shea.