When Lipscomb's Haddon Adams swung through a fastball from Stetson freshman Michael Bacica to secure Stetson's thrilling 6-5 victory over the Bisons on Thursday evening at Melching Field, there was an almost audible feeling of relief that swept out of the first base dugout.
 
Stetson (26-30) held control of the game from the moment Eric Foggo doubled home Jacob Koos in the sixth inning to break a scoreless pitchers' duel, but it took some serious extra-inning magic to secure the win, which bounced the Bisons (30-25) out of the ASUN Tournament.
 
In fact, Foggo would up driving in the go-ahead run for Stetson three times. In addition to the double in the sixth, he plated a run in the 10^th inning with a sacrifice fly and then again in the top of the 12^th with an infield single.
 
The extra heroics from Foggo, as well as the performance on the mound from Bacica (2-0) were made necessary by the fight the Lipscomb squad showed in the ninth and 10^th innings.
 
Stetson starter Robbie Peto gave the Hatters his best outing of the year, allowing just three hits over 7.1 shutout innings, tying his season-high with nine strikeouts. He turned the game over to closer Vlad Nunez in the eighth inning with Stetson leading 3-0.
 
Lipscomb's Noah Thompson was almost equal to Peto, allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits over his eight innings of work.
 
Nunez, who has been clutch at the end of games for Stetson all year, got out of the eighth with no damage, but struggled in the ninth after Stetson plated what turned out to be a crucial insurance run in the top of the inning on a two-out double by Austin Bogart.
 
Lipscomb opened the bottom of the ninth with four consecutive hits, plating a run on a pinch-hit single by Ty Jones. Nunez then walked in a run before Adams singled to right center, scoring two and knotting the game at 4-4. Jackson Furnace was thrown out at third on the play by Bogart, and that saved the day for Stetson.
 
Nunez got a foul pop out and a ground ball to end the inning, sending the game to the 10^th.
 
Kyle Ball got the inning started when he was hit by a pitch from Lipscomb closer Robbie Knox (0-5). Ball stole second and them moved up to third on a fly ball by Koos before Foggo drove him home.
 
Not ready to quit yet, Lipscomb answered in the bottom of the frame against freshman reliever Bret Neilan. Chris Bashlor walked to open the frame and was replaced by Knox on the bases. A sacrifice bunt got Knox into scoring position, and he scored on a two out single by Jarrett O'Leary.
 
Bacica came on to pitch for Stetson in the 11^th inning and got out of trouble by striking out Knox, stranding the potential winning run at third base.
 
The Bisons committed a pair of errors in the Stetson half of the 12^th inning, putting runners on the corners with one out for Foggo, who hit a ground ball in the hole between short and third and just beat the throw from Adams across the diamond, with Ball scoring on the play.
 
Lipscomb tried to mount another comeback in the bottom of the inning, getting a pair of walks, but Bacica struck out the side to secure the win for the Hatters, sending Stetson to the winners' bracket final on Friday morning.
 
The Hatters will face Jacksonville at 1 p.m. with the loser of that game turning around to play again Friday night at 7 p.m.
 
North Florida will square off against Liberty at 4 p.m. on Friday in an elimination game.
 
Foggo and Jorge Arenas accounted for four of the Hatters' six hits in the win over Lipscomb while Adams led the Bisons, who finished with 11 hits, with three.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.