JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
The 802nd Security Forces Squadron thwarted an 802nd Operations Support Squadron rally for an 11-10 win in extra innings May 14.
Down 4-1 after five innings, the OSS scored three runs in the sixth to forge a 4-4 tie.
Security Forces staved off OSS' comeback temporarily by contributing four runs, led by a Cam Bergeron RBI single, to go up 8-4.
The Security Forces rally was stifled in the seventh.
Security Forces pitcher Kevin Siebert, who allowed nine hits, walked five of six batters as OSS produced five runs for a one-run lead.
Siebert redeemed himself by scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh send the game to extra innings.
After OSS' Andrew Turner scored a run to put his squad up 10-9, Security Forces' third baseman Michael Broughton and pitcher Eric Hernandez each scored to clinch the 11-10 win.
On the losing side, OSS pitcher David Ruiz struck out three and allowed 10 hits.
"We just got the pitcher rattled and he couldn't hang in there," Broughton said. "We had the will to win," he added. "This Security Forces group is a great group of guys who fought until the end."
Security Forces improved to 9-1 on the Intermediate League season with the win.
Broughton said the team wasn't threatened about the possibility there would be another defeat added to the Security Forces loss column.
Catcher Terril Mongo echoed Broughton's sentiments about the close victory, but he added, "It makes it more fun."
With just one loss this season, Security Forces first baseman Chris Romero said the team has to work on not taking plays off.
"If we play hard to our potential, we always win," Mongo said.
OSS coach Chris Brinkhaus paid congratulations to Security Forces for pulling off the win.
"My hat goes off to them," Brinkhaus said. "They stayed in, fought, and came all the way through in the end. They found a way to put the ball exactly where we couldn't, and no matter what, we couldn't stop their base hits."