WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- It took nearly five hours, thanks to extra innings and a 90-minute rain delay, but the Grove City College baseball team improved to 4-1 on its Spring Break trip to the RussMatt Invitational by pulling out a 6-4, 12-inning victory Wednesday afternoon over Buena Vista (Iowa) at Chain O'Lakes Park. 

Sophomore catcher Adam Weber (McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour) broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the 12th inning when his sacrifice fly scored freshman shortstop Sam Meredith (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan). The Wolverines added an insurance run when junior center fielder Nick Sampson (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) beat out a potential double play with the bases loaded, bringing home sophomore pinch hitter Dan Luko (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional).

Sophomore pitcher Wil Peters (Mesa, Ariz./Westwood) pitched a perfect bottom of the 12th inning to secure his first collegiate save. Peters preserved the win for classmate Jack Houston (Vienna, Va./Vienna). Houston did not allow a hit or walk in his two innings. 

Two Grove City errors in the 11th inning put the winning run at third base with two outs but Houston fanned Buena Vista's Jake Eddie to end the inning.

Senior right fielder Josh Minnich (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) went 3 for 6 to help pace the Wolverines. Junior first baseman Colin Marinpetro (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) doubled and singled while Meredith and Sampson each singled twice. 

Grove City (5-2) took a 2-1 lead in the third inning when Marinpetro doubled home Sampson and sophomore pitcher Sam Bevin (Louisville, Ky./Wake County). Minnich scored the third run of the inning on a groundout by senior second baseman Luke Vittone (Seven Fields, Pa./Eden Christian).

Vittone pushed the lead to 4-1 in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Sampson. Buena Vista scored twice in the seventh, then tied the game in the bottom of the eighth.

Bevin pitched six innings and allowed one run. He did not pitch after the rain delay in the top of the seventh inning. Bevin struck out four, walked two and yielded seven hits. 

Sophomore Michael Earman (Grove City, Pa./Grove City) allowed one earned run in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Sophomore David Gallagher (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) struck out three in his 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. 

Grove City will face Wartburg at 3:45 p.m. Thursday in Davenport, Fla.