SAN ANSELMO - Defending NCS Division II champion Alameda refused to go away in the first round of this year's playoffs, scoring in four straight innings to knock off host Drake, 8-4, on Friday afternoon.
Last spring, senior Max Nyrop made a name for himself by throwing 55 consecutive scoreless innings, which ran through the post-season. On Friday, he did not get the start on the mound, but instead contributed at the plate. Trailing 3-0 in the top of the third, Nyrop drove the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for a two-run home run. He walked to start a rally in the top of the fifth, and then fouled off two pitches to force a full count in the top of the sixth before getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run, giving the Hornets a 6-3 lead at the time.
In all, Alameda scored eight straight runs after falling behind early, a streak that was only interrupted by Drake catcher Eamonn Lance's 12th home run of the season in the bottom of the seventh for the final run of the game.
Joe Gibbons earned the win on the mound for Alameda, going six and one-third innings before yielding to Nyrop, who struck out the only two batters he faced. Darren Taira had two hits, including a double, for the Hornets. Colton Baldwin went 3-for-3 for the host Pirates, while Lance and Gabe Leary had two hits each.
Alameda faces 14-seed Windsor in the quarterfinals on Monday, after the Jaguars upset three-seed Tamalpais.
