SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – In a PSAC Tournament semifinal game between two Eastern Division rivals that knew each other so well, one flinch proved decisive. An East Stroudsburg miscommunication on a fly ball in the bottom of the ninth extended the inning, and Millersville’s Jimmy Kirk needed just two pitches to hit a game-winning, two-run home run and send his team to its second straight PSAC title game, 3-2.

A lazy fly ball off the bat of Matthew Williams looked like the certain 27th out of the game. But as three Warriors converged in shallow right center field, second baseman Walker Zampella appeared to call off right fielder Troy Davis. The ball, however, was beyond his reach and dropped to the turf, allowing Williams sprinted into second base as the game-tying run. John Kochmansky’s Warriors played 11 innings Thursday and used regular closer Cole Dymek for five innings. Kochmansky made a brief visit to the mound and stuck with veteran lefty Peyton Brannock, who to that point, had pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

Kirk had already produced two hits in the game, driving in the team’s lone run in the fifth, but Brannock had struck him out in the seventh.

“We were fortunate that Matthew’s fly ball fell in,” said Millersville head coach Jon Shehan. “Their pitching and defense was excellent today. (Ethan) Woods kept the ball down and put four pitches on the plate, and Brannock was outstanding. That said, (Millersville pitching coach Eli Nabholz) kept saying to me in the dugout that the big hit was going to come, and it did.”

Kirk watched a called strike on the outside corner, and on the second offering, Brannock pulled a fastball inside. Kirk blistered the ball deep over the left field wall–a no-doubter and his team-leading 15th of the season.

“Jimmy got one of the few mistakes we saw today and didn’t miss it,” said Shehan. “He’s a leader. He does the little things no one sees. He serves. He sets up practice daily. He takes freshmen to the cage with him every day. He’s helped Gino Williams prepare to play first base in the future. He’s the heart and soul of this team. He knows how to win. He’s been there, and he’s guiding our young guys through it.”

Kirk became one of just three Marauders ever to hit 15 homers in a season. He’s now driven in five runs and hit two homers in the PSAC Tournament, and hit eight homers in the last three weeks.

Before the good fortune on Williams’ double, Millersville had been limited to nine singles. Woods and Brannock had issued just two free passes, and Millersville had stranded 10. Yet Millersville’s pitching was equal to the task. Starter Matt Shamany and reliever Joe Morrissey teamed to hold ESU to seven hits and just one extra-base hit. Neither team stole a base.