FERRUM, VA (March 23, 2006)—Ferrum College scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to steal a 7-6 win from Hampden-Sydney Thursday night in a rematch between the two teams that met in the finals of the 2005 NCAA South Regional.  With the win, the Panthers improve to 14-6-1, while the Tigers fall for the fourth time in-a-row and fifth in sixth games as their record moved to 11-9. 

With the Panthers trailing by two in the bottom half of the ninth, senior pitcher Jesse Bowles delivered an RBI single to cut the Tiger lead to one, then with two outs, senior shortstop Donnie Sprouse tied the game with another RBI single.  The Panthers scored the game-winner on a Tiger error to take the 7-6 victory. 

The Panthers held a 3-2 advantage after six innings, but Hampden-Sydney scored one run in the seventh and eight, and two in the ninth to hold a 6-4 advantage.  Five of the Tigers’ six runs were unearned in the game, as Jay Lilley (Chesapeake, VA/Western Branch) and Todd Harrell (Chesapeake, VA/Nansemond-Suffolk) had the only RBI’s of the contest for Hampden-Sydney, while senior left fielder Luke Brankley (Onancock, VA/Nandua) recorded three hits in four at bats and scored two runs. 

Bowles ended up with the win on the hill for the Panthers as he worked the final inning and gave up two hits and two unearned runs to go with a walk and a strikeout.  Hampden-Sydney used nine pitchers in the game as each tossed one inning.  Tiger freshman Matt Thornton (Richmond, VA/James River) took the loss as he worked the ninth and gave up three runs (two earned) on two hits while striking out one and walking one. 

Hampden-Sydney will look to return to winning form Saturday as the Tigers host Bridgewater College in a doubleheader starting at 12 pm at Yank Bernier Field.