TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- The 23rd-ranked and second-seeded Wayne State University baseball program (34-13) opened the postseason against sixth-seed Purdue Northwest (21-26) in the first round of the GLIAC Tournament on Thursday and the Warriors won 5-4 in extra innings on a walk-off RBI single from Justin Kelly (Wheaton, Ill. / Wheaton Warrenville South).

The game was delayed two hours due to rain in the area.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams threatened in the early going but the game remained scoreless through two innings until the Pride used two hits and a walk in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead.  Jack Schmidt (Fishers, Ind. / Indianapolis Cathedral) started the bottom of the fourth inning with a single to right and Rudy Ramirez (Brighton, Mich.) followed with another single.  A sac bunt from Davis Graham (Grosse Pointe, Mich. / Grosse Pointe South) moved the runners to second and third and Noah Miller (Macomb, Mich. / University Liggett) plated WSU's first run with a sac fly to deep left field.

Purdue Northwest responded with a run on one hit and a hit-by-pitch in the top of the fifth inning.  The Warriors answered in the bottom of the sixth inning with two runs on three hits, including a sac fly from Miller and an RBI single by Ryan Foley (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Saline), giving WSU a 3-2 advantage.

Two errors and a hit in the top of the ninth allowed PNW to take a 4-3 lead.  The Green & Gold tied the game at 4-4 on an RBI double from Ramirez in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Josh Nelson (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Saline) worked a clean top of the 10th inning before Tristen Jorah (Clinton Twp., Mich. / Sterling Heights Stevenson) drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the 10th inning.  After a sac bunt from Foley, Jorah stole third base and Kelly blistered a single inside the third base line to send WSU home happy and 5-4 winners.

AT THE PLATE
Ramirez finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored, while Foley, Kelly, Graham all posted two-hit performances.  Miller tallied two RBI.

ON THE MOUND
Hunter Brown (St. Clair, Shores, Mich. / Lakeview) battled through six innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and four walks with five strikeouts.  Brennan Cox (Taylor, Mich. / Riverview Gabriel Richard) did not allow a run in two innings of work and Richard Hovde (Saline, Mich.) allowed an unearned run to go with three strikeouts.  Nelson tossed a perfect 10th inning.

UP NEXT
Wayne State will play the winner of Northwood and Davenport at 6:00 p.m.