1998 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship
Tournament Statistics
Team Statistics
Records
Eastern Conn State approaches perfection in 16-1 win at Salem Memorial Baseball Stadium in Salem Virginia.
Chris D'Amato leads the Warriors to another Division III Championship
Salem, VA - Eastern Connecticut State University put together a
near-perfect game and pounded Montclair State, 16-1, in the Division III
Baseball Championship title game May 27 in Salem, Virginia.
Eight of the nine Eastern Conn State starters collected at least one hit, and the Warriors stroked eight doubles in an 18-hit attack. Starting pitcher Scott Czerwinski picked up his second victory in as many starts during the championship series as he allowed only four hits in seven innings of work.
The bottom third of the Warriors lineup was especially productive as Chris D'Amato, Steven Rembisz and Anthony Formato were a collective eight-for-12 with two doubles, five runs scored and eight runs batted in.
The national championship was the third for head coach Bill Holowaty in his 30 years at Eastern Connecticut State. The Warriors also won NCAA championships in 1990 and 1982.
"This year is very special," said Holowaty, whose career record is 856-326-4. "These kids made it a goal to win the national championship. They worked hard and they got what they deserved. It's the best group of kids, parents, fans and coaches. I'm very proud of them."
Leading 1-0 after three innings, Eastern Conn State broke the game open with a five-run fourth after two were out. Rembisz doubled in Lance Podlesney, who also had doubled. The next three batters -- Formato, Jonathan Krot and Nick Tempesta -- all reached safely and drove in four more runs.
The Warriors struck again with four runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh. Rembisz drove in his third run of the game in the sixth and finished the game four-for-six with a team-high four runs batted in.
"Eastern Conn State is just an outstanding baseball team, and really deserves to win the national championship," said Montclair State coach Norm Schoenig. "They played outstanding all tournament. In both games against us they were exceptional."
D'Amato, who hit .786 in five games (11-for-14) with three doubles and six RBIs, was voted the tournament's most outstanding player.
Joining D'Amato on the all-tournament team were teammates Czerwinski and pitcher Scott Chiasson. Also named to the team were first baseman Shawn McCorkle; outfielder Dan Wydner; and designated hitter Frank Francia from Montclair State. Catcher Billy Bacon and outfielder Scott Wesson made the squad from Cortland State, while shortstop Brian Horn and outfielder Erik Morrell from Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and third baseman Tim Bontrager of Anderson also were named to the team.
Eastern Conn State finished its championship season with a 40-11 record, while Montclair State was 35-11-1.
All Tournament Team
MVP - Chris D'Amato, Eastern Conn State
Catcher - Billy Bacon, Cortland State; First Base - Shawn McCorkle, Montclair State; Second Base - Chris D'Amato, Eastern Conn State; Third Base - Tim Bontrager, Anderson; Shortstop - Brian Horn, Wisconsin-Oshkosh; Outfield - Eric Morrell, Wisconsin-Oshkosh; Scott Weston, Cortland State; Dan Wydner, Montclair State; Designated Hitter - Frank Francia, Montclair State; Pitcher - Scott Czerwinski, Eastern Conn State; Scott Chiasson, Eastern Conn State.
1998 Tournament Results
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Eastern Conn State 9, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
3
Montclair State 8, NC Wesleyan 3
Wisconsin-Oshkosh 5, Cal Lutheran 3
Eastern Conn State 4, Aurora 3
Montclair State 4, Cortland State 2
Cortland State 5, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 4
Eastern Conn State 11, Montclair State
4
Cortland State 12, Eastern Conn State
0
Playoff Results
Central Regional, at Kenosha, Wisconsin: Game 1: Aurora 7, Carthage 3; Game 2 - North Central 6, Fonbonne 4; Game 3: Carthage 17, Fonbonne 2; Game 4: Aurora 13, North Central 7; Game 5: North Central 10, Carthage 9; Game 6: Aurora 13, North Central 5. Aurora advances
Mid-Atlantic Regional, at Scranton, Pennsylvania: Game 1: College of New Jersey 3, Johns Hopkins 1 ; Game 2: Montclair State 15, Rowan 5; Game 3: Allentown 2, Kean 0; Game 4: Johns Hopkins 11, Rowan 9; Game 5: College of New Jersey 7, Kean 2; Game 6: Montclair State 3, Allentown 2; Game 7: Montclair State 8, College of New Jersey 2; Game 8: Allentown 12, Johns Hopkins, 2; Game 9: College of New Jersey 14, Allentown 13; Game 10: Montclair State 11, College of New Jersey 2. Montclair State advances
Mideast Regional, at Canton, Ohio: Game 1: Wooster 8, Mary Washington 2; Game 2: Marietta 4, Hope 1; Game 3: Ohio Wesleyan 11, Anderson 7; Game 4: Mary Washington 11, Hope 10; Game 5: Anderson 10, Wooster 7; Game 6: Ohio Wesleyan 10, Marietta 1; Game 7: Wooster 12, Marietta 2; Game 8: Anderson 5, Mary Washington 1; Game 9: Ohio Wesleyan 7, Wooster 5 (12); Game 10: Anderson 6, Ohio Wesleyan 5; Game 11: Anderson 10, Ohio Wesleyan 8 (10). Anderson advances
Midwest Regional, at Oshkosh, Wisconsin: Game 1: Wisconsin-Oshkosh 7, Wartburg 0; Game 2: Wisconsin-LaCrosse 3, Wisconsin-Stevens Point 2 ; Game 3: St. Thomas (Minn.) 10, St. John's (Minn.) 1; Game 4: Wartburg 7, Wisconsin-Stevens Point 3; Game 5: Wisconsin-Oshkosh 2, St. Johns (Minn) 1 (10); Game 6: Wisconsin-LaCrosse 6, St. Thomas (Minn) 3; Game 7: Wisconsin-Oshkosh 9, Wisconsin-LaCrosse 8; Game 8: St. Thomas (Minn) 16, Wartburg 8; Game 9: St. Thomas (Minn) 13 Wisconsin-LaCrosse 6; Game 10: St. Thomas (Minn) 9, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 4; Game 11: Wisconsin-Oshkosh 8, St. Thomas (Minn) 5. Wisconsin-Oshkosh advances
New England Regional, at Willimantic, Connecticut: Game 1: Eastern Conn State 3, Southern Maine 2; Game 2: Bridgewater State (Mass) 6, Brandeis 4; Game 3: Mass-Dartmouth 3, Trinity (Conn.) 2; Game 4: Southern Maine 12, Brandeis 8; Game 5: Eastern Conn State 9, Trinity (Conn) 6; Game 6: Mass-Dartmouth 9, Bridgewater State (Mass) 3; Game 7: Eastern Conn State 7, Mass-Dartmouth 2; Game 8: Southern Maine 10, Bridgewater State (Mass) 5; Game 9: Mass-Dartmouth 7, Southern Maine 2; Game 10: Eastern Conn State 10, Mass-Dartmouth 3. Eastern Conn State advances
New York Regional, at Albany, New York: Game 1: Cortland State 12, Mount St. Mary 0; Game 2: Rensselaer 9, Ithaca 4; Game 3: Ithaca 7, Mount St. Mary 0; Game 4: Cortland State 9, Rensselaer 5; Game 5: Rensselaer 6, Ithaca 3; Game 6: Cortland State 4, Rensselaer 0. Cortland State advances
South Regional, at Rocky Mount, North Carolina.: Game 1: NC Wesleyan 12, Greensboro 5; Game 2: Emory 7, Methodist 6 ; Game 3: Methodist 4, Greensboro 1; Game 4: NC Wesleyan 11, Emory 1; Game 5: Methodist 5, Emory 1; Game 6: NC Wesleyan 3, Methodist 2. NC Wesleyan advances
West Regional, at Abilene, Texas.: Game 1: Cal Lutheran 7, Chapman 1 ; Game 2: Southwestern (Texas) 9, McMurry 2; Game 3: McMurry 7, Chapman 4; Game 4: Southwestern (Texas) 8, Cal Lutheran 6; Game 5: Cal Lutheran 6, McMurray 4; Game 6: Cal Lutheran 11, Southwestern (Texas) 3; Game 7: Cal Lutheran 10, Southwestern (Texas) 6 . Cal Lutheran advances