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10/28/2026 10:11:00 PM | Baseball
White team wins 2026 Fall Ball Classic
Houston-- Michael Zito's grand slam in the second inning gave the Navy team early breathing room, and pitchers Sullivan Bracken, Rivers Kurland, and Grant Nicholson made that lead hold up to allow them to salvage the final game of the World Series, 7-2, on Wednesday at Reckling Park.
Unlike the first two games, the White team took an early lead with a run in the top of the first, but the Navy, which had taken 1-0 leads into the sixth inning in each of the first two games, made short work of that deficit, scoring twice in the first and four times in the second.
Zachary Gringrich drove in Paul Smith with a single in the top of the first, but the Navy took the lead for good in the bottom of the first as both Zachary Daigre and Zito scored on wild pitches.
One inning later, they loaded the bases on a pair of walks and an infield single by Daigre, and one out later Zito slammed a home run to left to clear the bases.
The White looked to mount a comeback in the top of the fourth as Colin Robson led off with a walk and Smith followed with a single, but Kurland retired the next three hitters with Robson scoring on a ground out by Hiram Bocachica Jr.
JC Davis got that run back in the bottom half of the inning, doubling home Judson Dowell, who had led off the inning with a double of his own.
Nicholson found himself in a jam in the sixth, thanks to a two-out error and a walk, but he ended the inning with an infield fly out and then struck out two of three hitters in the seventh to close out the White.
The 2026 Fall World Series wraps up the Owls' 2026 fall team workouts. They will resume full-squad workouts in January, in advance of the season-opening series against defending Big 12 champion Kansas, beginning February 19.
Unlike the first two games, the White team took an early lead with a run in the top of the first, but the Navy, which had taken 1-0 leads into the sixth inning in each of the first two games, made short work of that deficit, scoring twice in the first and four times in the second.
Zachary Gringrich drove in Paul Smith with a single in the top of the first, but the Navy took the lead for good in the bottom of the first as both Zachary Daigre and Zito scored on wild pitches.
One inning later, they loaded the bases on a pair of walks and an infield single by Daigre, and one out later Zito slammed a home run to left to clear the bases.
The White looked to mount a comeback in the top of the fourth as Colin Robson led off with a walk and Smith followed with a single, but Kurland retired the next three hitters with Robson scoring on a ground out by Hiram Bocachica Jr.
JC Davis got that run back in the bottom half of the inning, doubling home Judson Dowell, who had led off the inning with a double of his own.
Nicholson found himself in a jam in the sixth, thanks to a two-out error and a walk, but he ended the inning with an infield fly out and then struck out two of three hitters in the seventh to close out the White.
The 2026 Fall World Series wraps up the Owls' 2026 fall team workouts. They will resume full-squad workouts in January, in advance of the season-opening series against defending Big 12 champion Kansas, beginning February 19.
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