University School remains unbeaten with walk-off win

University School has proven to be resilient to remain undefeated and did it again on Friday night.

The Sharks rallied to score twice in the sixth to tie it and Andrew Grinberg’s RBI single finished off the come-from-behind, 3-2 walk-off win over Westminster Academy in eight innings on Friday night.

“We’re a solid ball club, and we find a way to win,” first-year University coach Josh Snyder said. “This is the biggest test for us so far. We knew coming into this week it was going to be a dog fight — one of the best teams in our district and our district plays like a regional with the competition we have here.”

The Sharks (12-0, 3-0), along with Calvary Christian (9-5, 5-0), are the only teams still unbeaten in District 7-4A with Westminster (8-4, 4-1) suffering its first loss within the district.

Down 2-0, the Sharks tied it in the sixth inning. Westminster second baseman Alec Villanueva overthrew first base on a play that would’ve sent the Lions to the seventh with the lead.

Anthony Trotta, pinchrunning for third-hitting pitcher Buddy Hayward after he got on with a single, scored on the error.

Jack Schmidt’s sacrifice fly to score Jake Pfunstein cut the deficit in half.

The two starters Friday dueled but each came away with a no-decision.

Hayward went six-plus innings, striking out seven. The Harvard-bound senior right-hander gave up two runs on seven hits. Westminster senior Tommy Hagerty, a St. Petersburg College signee, fanned six and surrendered just four hits in 5 1⁄3.

Two Sharks runs were charged to him, even though the second scored after his exit — and was unearned.

Scott Gutstein earned the win, shutting out the Lions in the seventh and eighth innings.

Westminster struck first in the top of the third when cleanup-hitting first baseman Ramon Ripoll ripped a two-run triple into the gap in left-center.

University had a chance to respond in the bottom of the third, but Hagerty struck out Hayward to leave the bases loaded.

Hayward responded on the mound, getting out of a bases-loaded jam of his own in the top of the fourth.