Game 7 - May 29, 1999
Story | Boxscore | Play-by-Play
Salem, Virginia - North Carolina Wesleyan manufactured four runs in the final six innings to post a 6-5 comeback win over California Lutheran in game seven of the 1999 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship finals.
Jeremy Stewart opened the scoring for NC Wesleyan in the top of the first, knocking a two-run home run to right center to give the Battling Bishops a 2-0 lead. Cal Lutheran answered with a two-run first, hitting four consecutive two-out singles to tie the game. The Kingsmen extended their lead in the home half of the third inning as Brian Malchow singled in a run and scored on a two-run home run by Brad Smith.
Trailing 5-2 after three innings, NC Wesleyan chipped away with a run in the fourth and two more in the sixth. In the fourth inning, NC Wesleyan loaded the bases with no outs, but Cal Lutheran starter Adam Springston got two quick outs on a strike out and foul out. Springston appeared to be out of the jam, but a passed ball got by catcher Eric Medina and NC Wesleyan moved within two at 5-3.
"The key was that inning (fourth) where we had the bases loaded we got a passed ball and managed to scratch a run, but that run was a key," added NC Wesleyan coach Charlie Long. "We definitely got some breaks today."
In the sixth inning, Springston hit lead off hitter David Capobianco and surrendered a double to Barry Blake before leaving the game in favor of Wayne Mahaffey. Capobianco scored on a wild pitch, and Blake crossed the plate to tie the game after Brian Woolston's single.
NC Wesleyan manufactured what would prove to be the game-winning run in the top of the seventh. Andy Jones reached on an error, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and moved to third on a fly out to center field. Blake singled to score Jones and put N.C. Wesleyan up 6-5.
"I think we gave them some runs," said Cal Lutheran coach Marty Slimak. "We gave them some passed balls for runs and made some errors up the middle, but man what a ball game."
The Battling Bishops make four sparkling defensive plays in the final three innings to preserve the win, including a catcher-shortstop-first base double play on a sacrifice bunt attempt and a pair of diving stops by Jones at second base.
"Defensively, we believe we are the best in the nation and we had a chance to prove that today," said Blake.
Jon Rardin pitched three and a third innings to pick up the win in his first relief appearance of the season. He did not allow a hit and faced just one batter over the minimum to move to 8-3. Buddy Hernandez pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save of the season.
Cal Lutheran's two through five hitters all recorded two hits apiece, including a 2-for-3, three RBI performance from Smith. Mahaffey (3-3) picked up the loss for Cal Lutheran despite allowing no earned runs and four hits in four relief innings.
NC Wesleyan (39-9) advances in the winners' bracket and will play the St. Thomas/William Paterson winner tomorrow at 7 p.m. Cal Lutheran (32-13) drops to the losers' bracket and will play Marietta (50-7) tomorrow at noon.
Story | Boxscore | Play-by-Play
NC Wesleyan 6 Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Scott Robeson cf.......... 5 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 Andy Jones 2b............. 3 2 0 0 2 0 1 2 Jeremy Stewart 3b......... 4 1 2 2 0 0 3 0 David Capobianco 1b....... 4 2 1 0 0 0 7 1 Barry Blake ss............ 5 1 3 1 0 0 3 4 Nick Buonocore dh......... 3 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 Taylor Williams lf........ 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 Dan Salay ph/lf........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Tim Wright rf............. 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Brian Woolston c.......... 4 0 2 1 0 1 6 2 Jayson Sigley p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Jon Rardin p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Buddy Hernandez p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals.................... 34 6 9 4 4 5 27 10 Cal Lutheran 5 Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Jeremy Schlosser 3b....... 5 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 Raudel Flores cf.......... 4 1 2 0 0 1 2 0 Clint Britt 1b............ 3 1 2 0 0 0 10 0 Brian Malchow rf.......... 4 2 2 1 0 0 2 0 Brad Smith dh............. 3 1 2 3 1 1 0 0 Nick Lawson lf............ 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 Eric Medina c............. 4 0 1 0 0 1 5 1 Chris Tahan ss............ 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 Andy Super ss............. 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Eric Buben ph............. 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Ryan Yoshiwara 2b......... 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 4 Adam Springston p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wayne Mahaffey p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Totals.................... 34 5 10 5 2 6 27 10 Score by innings: R H E ---------------------------------------------- NC Wesleyan 200 102 100 - 6 9 0 Cal Lutheran 203 000 000 - 5 10 2 ---------------------------------------------- E - Tahan; Super. DP - NC Wesleyan 1; Cal Lutheran 2. LOB - NC Wesleyan 8; Cal Lutheran 5. 2B - Blake; Woolston. HR - J Stewart; B Smith. SB - Blake. CS - T Williams. SH - J Stewart; Britt. NC Wesleyan IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Jayson Sigley....... 4.2 9 5 5 1 3 21 23 Jon Rardin.......... 3.1 1 0 0 1 2 10 11 Buddy Hernandez..... 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 3 3 Cal Lutheran IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Adam Springston..... 5.0 5 5 4 3 3 19 23 Wayne Mahaffey...... 4.0 4 1 0 1 2 15 18 Win - Rardin 8-3. Loss - Mahaffey 3-3. Save - Hernandez (6). WP - Springston; Mahaffey. PB - Medina. HBP - by Springston (Capobianco); by Mahaffey (T Wright). Umpires - Home:Dashaies 1st:Guill 2nd:Vellek 3rd:Shelton Start: 5:05 Time: 2:56 Attendance: 676 Springston faced 2 batters in the 6th.
Story | Boxscore | Play-by-Play
Score by innings: R H E ---------------------------------------------- NC Wesleyan 200 102 100 - 6 9 0 Cal Lutheran 203 000 000 - 5 10 2 ---------------------------------------------- NC Wesleyan inning 1 Robeson lined out to 2b. A Jones walked. J Stewart homered to left field, 2 RBI; A Jones scored. Capobianco flied out to cf. Blake singled to left field. Blake advanced to second on a wild pitch. Buonocore grounded out to ss. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Cal Lutheran inning 1 Schlosser popped up to 3b. Flores grounded out to ss. Britt singled to third base. Malchow singled to right field; Britt advanced to second. B Smith singled to center field, RBI; Malchow advanced to third; Britt scored. Lawson singled to left field, advanced to second on the throw, RBI; B Smith advanced to third; Malchow scored. Medina struck out swinging. 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 2 T Williams walked. T Williams out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. T Wright struck out swinging. Woolston struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Cal Lutheran inning 2 Tahan flied out to cf. Yoshiwara flied out to cf. Schlosser popped up to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 3 Robeson popped up to 2b. A Jones walked. J Stewart grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; A Jones out on the play. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Cal Lutheran inning 3 Flores singled to center field. Britt grounded out to p, SAC; Flores advanced to second. Malchow singled to center field, RBI; Flores scored. B Smith homered to left field, 2 RBI; Malchow scored. Lawson lined out to 3b. Medina singled to center field. Medina out at second c to 2b. 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 4 Capobianco singled to center field. Blake reached on a fielder's choice; Capobianco advanced to second on an error by ss. Buonocore singled to center field; Blake advanced to second; Capobianco advanced to third. T Williams struck out looking. T Wright popped up to 3b. Buonocore advanced to second; Blake advanced to third; Capobianco scored on a passed ball, unearned. Woolston grounded out to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB. Cal Lutheran inning 4 Tahan popped up to ss. Yoshiwara grounded out to ss. Schlosser struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 5 Super to ss for Tahan. Robeson grounded out to 1b unassisted. A Jones flied out to rf. J Stewart flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Cal Lutheran inning 5 Flores struck out swinging. Britt singled to right field. Malchow flied out to lf. B Smith walked; Britt advanced to second. Rardin to p for Sigley. Lawson reached on a fielder's choice; B Smith out at second ss unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 6 Capobianco hit by pitch. Blake doubled to right field; Capobianco advanced to third. Mahaffey to p for Springston. Blake advanced to third; Capobianco scored on a wild pitch. Buonocore walked. T Williams popped up to ss. T Wright hit by pitch; Buonocore advanced to second. Woolston singled to right field, RBI; T Wright advanced to second; Buonocore advanced to third; Blake scored. Robeson grounded into double play 2b to 1b; Woolston out on the play. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Cal Lutheran inning 6 Medina grounded out to ss. Super struck out looking. Yoshiwara walked. Schlosser popped up to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 7 A Jones reached on an error by ss. J Stewart grounded out to p, SAC; A Jones advanced to second. Capobianco flied out to cf; A Jones advanced to third. Blake singled to left field, RBI; A Jones scored, unearned. Blake stole second. Buonocore struck out swinging. 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB. Cal Lutheran inning 7 Flores singled to left field. Britt grounded into double play c to ss to 1b; Flores out on the play. Malchow grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 8 Salay pinch hit for T Williams. Salay grounded out to 2b. T Wright flied out to rf. Woolston doubled to left field. Robeson struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Cal Lutheran inning 8 Salay to lf. B Smith struck out swinging. Lawson out at first 1b to p. Medina flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 9 A Jones grounded out to 3b. J Stewart singled to left field. Capobianco grounded out to 1b unassisted; J Stewart advanced to second. Blake grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Cal Lutheran inning 9 Hernandez to p for Rardin. Buben pinch hit for Super. Buben struck out looking. Yoshiwara grounded out to 2b. Schlosser flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Updated Sept 2003