BECKLEY, W.Va. — WVU Tech baseball delivered another dramatic finish Friday afternoon, rallying twice before walking off Indiana University Kokomo for a 12-11 victory in 10 innings at Linda K. Epling Stadium. The Golden Bears improve to 12-26 overall and 3-16 in River States Conference play.

WVU Tech struck first with a three-run opening inning. Maddex Sims singled to begin the game, Gabe Templeton followed with a walk and Angel Leiva drove in the first run with an RBI single to left. Leiva then came around to score on a Kokomo error, and Cody Cooper added an RBI single to center to push the Golden Bears in front 3-0.

IU Kokomo answered with three runs in the third and three more in the fourth to grab a 6-3 lead. WVU Tech cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fourth when Sims launched a solo home run to left, and Templeton and Jake Tompkins followed with back-to-back doubles to make it a 6-5 game.

Kokomo added a run in the seventh and then capitalized in the eighth to build a 9-5 advantage. The Golden Bears responded with a four-run bottom of the eighth. Tompkins doubled home Brayden Kiblinger, and Carson Crigger followed with a three-run home run to left field to tie the game at 9-9.

The Cougars moved back in front in the 10th, scoring twice to take an 11-9 lead. WVU Tech answered one last time in the bottom half. Templeton was hit by a pitch and Tompkins singled to put runners on the corners, and after Tyler Mackey entered as a pinch runner, Reece Patterson lined a two-run double to left to tie the game. Cody Cooper then delivered the walk-off RBI single to center, scoring Carson Brown and sealing the 12-11 comeback win.

WVU Tech finished with 16 hits in the win. Tompkins helped lead the way by going 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBIs and a walk, while Cooper also went 3-for-6 with two RBIs. Templeton went 2-for-4 with a walk and scored four runs, Sims finished 2-for-5 with a home run, an RBI and two runs scored, Crigger drove in three runs with his game-tying homer, and Patterson added the pivotal two-run double in the 10th. Leiva collected two hits and an RBI in the victory.

On the mound, WVU Tech used six pitchers in the extra-inning battle. Braedan Pakkala worked the opening 3.2 innings, Cameron Lynch gave the Golden Bears 3.1 innings in relief, Luke Richards followed with a scoreless inning, and Clayton Hargus added another scoreless frame to help keep the game tied late. Jonas Franti appeared in the 10th before Aidan McGlothlin entered and recorded the final out of the inning. McGlothlin was credited with the win as the Golden Bears completed the walk-off finish in the bottom half.

Golden Bear Highlights

• Jake Tompkins – 3-for-5, 2 doubles, 2 RBI, walk
• Cody Cooper – 3-for-6, 2 RBI, walk-off RBI single
• Maddex Sims – 2-for-5, home run, RBI, 2 runs scored
• Gabe Templeton – 2-for-4, double, 4 runs scored, walk
• Carson Crigger – 3-run home run
• Reece Patterson – 2-run double
• Angel Leiva – 2-for-2, RBI
• Cameron Lynch – 3.1 IP, 3 ER
• Luke Richards – 1.0 IP, 0 ER
• Clayton Hargus – 1.0 IP, 0 ER
• Aidan McGlothlin – win, final out in the 10th

Season Leaders

Through 38 games, WVU Tech is batting .279 as a team with 223 runs, 320 hits and 91 extra-base hits on the season.

Gabe Templeton leads the Golden Bears with a .340 batting average, adding 35 hits, 28 runs scored and 18 walks. Jake Tompkins paces the team with 35 RBIs, 33 hits and four home runs, while JJ Polvinale has added 30 hits and 18 RBIs. Maddex Sims has contributed 34 hits, nine doubles, two home runs and 20 runs scored, and Angel Leiva is hitting .326 with 30 hits and nine RBIs.

On the mound, WVU Tech owns a 2.00 WHIP. Braedan Pakkala leads the staff with 39 strikeouts, Marco Viteri Moran has 37 strikeouts, Cameron Lynch has 36 strikeouts, and Tate Martino has added 33 strikeouts. Defensively, Angel Leiva, Joshua Tibbits, Nate Wolfe, Mason Everhart and several others own perfect fielding percentages, while Jake Tompkins has handled 218 total chances at a .982 clip.

What's Next

WVU Tech returns to Linda K. Epling Stadium on Saturday for a River States Conference doubleheader against Indiana University Kokomo. First pitch is set for 12 p.m., with game two to follow.