The way things were going with the Emporia AAAs’ offense, Adam Tebben figured he might have to win Friday night’s game against Lansing by himself.
Turned out he did just that.
Tebben drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh, driving in the game-winning run in Emporia’s 2-1 victory on the opening night of the Mike’s Classic tournament.
“This game was all Adam,” Emporia coach Ryan Oden said. “We’re probably sitting with a loss if not for him.”
Tebben not only delivered at the plate, he also kept the AAAs in the game with a dominating performance on the mound.
The right-hander allowed just a single run in his complete-game performance, striking out six while walking just one.
“My curveball was pretty sick, and my fastball was running up and in,” Tebben said. “I kept them off-balance, and that was the key.”
It still wasn’t enough to get a victory through 6 1/2 innings, as Emporia entered the bottom of the seventh tied at 1.
The AAAs’ low run-total wasn’t because of a lack of opportunities. Emporia stranded 10 runners in all, including at least one in each of the first six innings.
“It seemed like the bats weren’t ever going to come alive,” Tebben said.
They did just enough in the bottom of the seventh.
After a popout, Jonathan Hrabik swung through a ball in the dirt, but reached first safely when Lansing catcher Elias Moya hit him in the back on the throw to first.
Joe Solis followed with a single to left, and the runners moved to second and third on an error by left fielder Chris Grady.
After an intentional walk to Harrison Stone, Cameron Smith hit a groundball to first baseman Kyle Hutchison. After fumbling it for a second, Hutchison threw home just in time to get Hrabik on a force out at the plate.
It all set up Tebben’s dramatics.
With a 2-2 count, the right-handed hitter took a borderline pitch that appeared to be just out of the strike zone. The umpire called it a ball.
“I was holding my breath,” Tebben said. “He wasn’t consistent up and in all night, so I thought I’d take a chance.”
The 3-2 pitch sailed high, giving Tebben the walk and game-ending RBI.
Tebben allowed his only run in the top of the fifth.
Moya led off with a double to right-center, and courtesy runner Mike McSweeney moved to third on Kris Hernandez’s sacrifice bunt.
Tebben got Parker Gibson to strike out, but with two outs Grady delivered an infield single to score the run and make it 1-0.
Emporia tied the score in the bottom of the frame with a gift-wrapped run.
Jared Krause drew a one-out walk, then moved to second on a stolen base.
He later went to third and then home on separate wild pitches by Lansing starter Taylor Majure.
Tebben and Solis led the Emporia bats, as both contributed a pair of hits.
Emporia will continue play at the Mike’s Classic today with games at noon and 8 p.m.
Mike’s Classic
Friday at Emporia
Emporia 2, Lansing 1
Lansing 000 010 0 — 1 5 2
Emporia AAAs 000 010 1 — 2 5 2
W — Adam Tebben. L — Taylor Majure.
2B — Lansing: Elias Moya; Emporia: Joe Solis, Alex Reyes. SB — Lansing: Chris Grady; Emporia: Jaime Carlos, Jared Krause, Alex Reyes.
Emporia AAA highlights — Adam Tebben (Pitching) CG, 5H, ER, BB, 6K, (Batting) 2-3, BB, GW RBI; Joe Solis 2-4, 2B; Alex Reyes 1-2, 2B, 2 BB, SB.