Colonial Heights, VA - The Tri-City Chili Peppers showed up when it mattered most to beat the Wilson Tobs 14-11 and return to first place in the East.

Friday night's game at Shepard Stadium was high stakes. The Chili Peppers were facing off against the Tobs, and the two teams were tied for first in the East Division coming into the game. Tri-City was coming off of a loss on the road, and if they lost again, they would slip from first place in the East for the first time this season.

The two teams had already faced off once this season in Wilson, and the game resulted in a 7-2 Chili Peppers loss. The Tobs had a strong offensive start in the first matchup, with three runs in the first. Friday's game was no different. With Chaz Powell (Franklin Pierce University) on the mound, Wilson put up two runs in the first. Tri-City's offense fought back with three runs to take the lead after the first.

The offense in this game remained strong throughout. The Tobs put up another run in the second to even the score, and the Chili Peppers took back the lead with an impressive five runs in the third. The offensive success in the third was kickstarted by a double by Conner Butler of Roanoke College, his second of three hits that night.

"As a team, we were seeing the ball really well," Butler said. "It was a tight game, playing for first. I think we executed very well."

This game was a constant back and forth. Another run by the Tobs in the fourth made the score 8-4, and four more runs by the team in the top of the fifth with Robert Prarie (William & Mary) pitching tied things up once again. However, the Chili Peppers weren't satisfied with a tie, putting up three runs in the top of the fifth to lead 11-8.

Wilson also wasn't satisfied with a tie, firing back with three runs of their own when Branden Blakenship (Morehead State University) was pitching for Tri-City. Northwood University's David Jeffers scored for the Chili Peppers in the sixth on a pass ball after hitting a single earlier in the inning.

It looked as though the offensive in this game may be slowing down in the seventh inning, when neither team scored. The Tobs also failed to score in the top of the eighth. Chili Peppers pitcher Eli Parks (Howard College, TX) held Wilson with no hits, runs, or walks and two strikeouts in a three up, three down pitching performance.

"I treat it like every other situation," Parks said about his high-stakes time on the hill on Friday. "I was attacking them with my fast ball and getting ahead and throwing strikes."

The Tri-City offense proved they weren't done by scoring an additional two runs in the eighth to make the score 14-11. Kyle Jenkins (Mars Hill University) and Avery Neaves (University of Lynchburg) scored to advanced the Chili Peppers lead. Neaves got on base in each of his six plate appearances on Friday, with two hits, three runs, and four walks.

The Tobs had their final chance to retake the lead in the top of the ninth, and the way that the scoring in this game had gone so far, a comeback did not seem impossible. Randolph Macon pitcher Wyatt Stanley came out of the bullpen and got the job done, pitching three up, three down for a 14-11 Chili Peppers win.

With this win, Tri-City secures first place in the East, while the Wilson Tobs fall to second. The Chili Peppers will play at Shepherd Stadium again tonight and tomorrow night as they look to advance their lead in the East.

"It was a great game, back and forth the whole time from the first inning to the last inning," head coach James Bierlein said. "We celebrate this one and come back tomorrow ready to work."