Game 12 - May 29, 2006
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Scott Guillerault (pictured right) and Adam Laplante (pictured left) hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning that helped catapult Wheaton College one step closer to its first national title Monday.
In all, the Lyons (41-9) scored five unearned runs in the seventh en route to eliminating Montclair State University (35-19-2) from the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship at Fox Cities Stadium with a convincing 13-4 victory over the Red Hawks. "I think the game was over at that point because of what transpired," admitted Montclair State head coach Norm Schoenig in reference to the fateful seventh frame. Trailing 4-1,
Montclair State's Michael Vicaro relieved starting pitcher Jay Cook to begin the seventh inning. Vicaro, who was one of the stars of the Red Hawks' 7-2 opening round win over Aurora University, retired the first two batters he faced but issued a walk to Lyons leadoff hitter Rafael Castillo. Then back-to-back fielding errors led to another Wheaton run before Guillerault blasted his three-run tape measure shot to deep left field.
"We gave them five outs, but unfortunately in between out two and out five they got five runs," said Schoenig whose team finished in fourth place, which is quite the turnaround from a 15-24 overall record a season ago. Although Guillerault's home run may not have single-handedly won the game for Wheaton - which is making its first NCAA Championship appearance in its nine years of existence - it did afford head coach Eric Podbelski from having to go to his bullpen earlier in the contest, a major advantage for a team that is clawing its way through the loser's bracket.
"Extending the lead and keeping the pressure on also allows you to extend your starting pitcher a little bit longer and have him chew up some innings," said Podbelski. "If it stays a three-run game, then we probably have to use two or three of our set-up guys. Being able to keep enough good, fresh arms ready to pitch is going to determine whether you have a shot to win [a national championship] or not."
Wheaton first Baseman, Abdy Koocher is pictured below left. Wheaton starting pitcher, Josh Moore is pictured right
More Montclair State miscues led Wheaton to plate four more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to make the score 13-1. However, the Red Hawks were not ready to pack it up quite yet as they rallied for three runs in their last at bats, including a solo home run by Brian Butler.
The comeback, although modest, was an example of the resolve that seemed to define the 2006 version of the Red Hawks. "As far as what they've accomplished, this group has produced more than any team I've been associated with or maybe even in the history of Montclair State, said Schoenig, "and three teams (1987, 1993, 2000) have won national championships."
As for the Lyons, they will play Chapman University (33-12) later today for the right to face Marietta College in the championship round on May 30. Podbelski understands it would be quite the accomplishment for his program to get into the championship game, but that's not where the focus of his team lies right now. "Honestly, we're not thinking about that yet," Podbelski said. "We knew coming in that it was a great accomplishment for us and whatever happened at some point we'd look back on this as a very successful step. But you can't reflect until afterwards. And it's not afterwards yet."
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Montclair State 4 Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Michael Nunes cf.......... 4 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 Lou Politan 1b............ 3 0 1 0 0 1 7 0 Michael Ocejo 1b.......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Brian Butler lf........... 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 Rob Bowness dh............ 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Matt Hartwick dh.......... 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Robert Clark 3b........... 4 1 3 0 0 0 1 3 Andrew Vicaro c........... 4 0 1 1 0 1 6 2 Nick Recchia pr........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Scott Evangelist rf....... 3 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 Thomas Meyer rf........... 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 James Scelzo ss........... 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 4 Kevin Cuozzi 2b........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 Jay Cook p................ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Michael Vicaro p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ray Anderson p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brian Rocco p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals.................... 32 4 8 4 0 8 24 12 Wheaton 13 Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Rafael Castillo ss........ 4 2 1 0 1 0 1 3 Jake Yagilian 2b.......... 4 3 1 1 1 1 1 5 Andy Koocher 1b........... 4 1 2 0 0 0 12 0 Mike Miller ph/cf......... 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 Scott Guillerault 3b...... 4 1 2 6 1 1 1 4 Adam Laplante c........... 5 1 2 2 0 1 8 0 Pat O'Conner rf........... 5 0 1 0 0 3 2 0 Jeff Martin dh............ 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kyle Olson pr/dh.......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brandon Leonard cf........ 3 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 Mark Baumer 1b............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Travis Anthoine lf........ 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 Mark Brown ph/lf.......... 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Josh Moore p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Jared Barnes p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals.................... 34 13 11 11 5 7 27 13 Score by innings: R H E ---------------------------------------------- Montclair State 010 000 003 - 4 8 2 Wheaton 120 001 54 - 13 11 0 ---------------------------------------------- E - R Clark; Cuozzi. DP - Montclair St 1; Wheaton 2. LOB - Montclair St 4; Wheaton 5. 2B - Politan; R Clark; Leonard. HR - B Butler; Guillerault; Laplante. SB - B Butler; R Castillo. SH - Anthoine. SF - T Meyer. Montclair State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Jay Cook............ 6.0 8 4 3 0 4 23 25 Michael Vicaro...... 1.0 2 5 0 1 2 7 8 Ray Anderson........ 0.1 0 4 4 3 0 1 5 Brian Rocco......... 0.2 1 0 0 1 1 3 4 Wheaton IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Josh Moore.......... 8.1 7 4 4 0 7 30 32 Jared Barnes........ 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 2 3 Win - J Moore 8-1. Loss - J Cook 5-4. Save - None. WP - R Anderson. PB - A Vicaro. HBP - by J Moore (Bowness); by J Cook (J Martin); by J Moore (B Butler); by R Anderson (J Martin). Umpires - Home:Kevin Joyce 1st:Eric Thorton 2nd:Andre Lanoue 3rd:Mike Walsh Start: noon Time: 2:21 Attendance:
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Score by innings: R H E ---------------------------------------------- Montclair State 010 000 003 - 4 8 2 Wheaton 120 001 54 - 13 11 0 ---------------------------------------------- Montclair State inning 1 Nunes struck out swinging. Politan struck out swinging. B Butler grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Wheaton inning 1 R Castillo singled down the lf line. Yaglian flied out to cf. R Castillo stole second. Koocher singled to left field; R Castillo advanced to third. Guillerault grounded out to ss, RBI; Koocher advanced to second; R Castillo scored. Laplante grounded out to ss. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Montclair State inning 2 Bowness hit by pitch. R Clark doubled down the lf line; Bowness advanced to third. A Vicaro struck out looking. S Evangelist grounded out to 2b, RBI; R Clark advanced to third; Bowness scored. Scelzo grounded out to 3b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Wheaton inning 2 O'Conner struck out looking. J Martin hit by pitch. Leonard doubled down the rf line; J Martin advanced to third. Anthoine grounded out to p, SAC, bunt, RBI; Leonard advanced to third; J Martin scored. Leonard scored on a passed ball, unearned. R Castillo flied out to cf. 2 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Montclair State inning 3 Cuozzi flied out to lf. Nunes grounded out to 3b. Politan flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Wheaton inning 3 Yaglian struck out looking. Koocher grounded out to p. Guillerault struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Montclair State inning 4 B Butler hit by pitch. Bowness struck out swinging; B Butler stole second. R Clark singled through the left side; B Butler advanced to third. A Vicaro grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; R Clark out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Wheaton inning 4 Laplante singled to right field. O'Conner flied out to rf. J Martin grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; Laplante out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Montclair State inning 5 S Evangelist grounded out to p. Scelzo grounded out to ss. Cuozzi grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Wheaton inning 5 Leonard popped up to rf. Anthoine flied out to rf. R Castillo lined out to 3b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Montclair State inning 6 Nunes struck out swinging. Politan doubled to right center. B Butler grounded out to ss; Politan advanced to third. Bowness grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Wheaton inning 6 Yaglian singled to right center. Koocher singled down the lf line; Yaglian advanced to second. Guillerault singled through the left side, RBI; Koocher advanced to second; Yaglian scored. Koocher out at second c to ss to 3b to ss, picked off. Laplante struck out swinging. O'Conner singled to center field; Guillerault advanced to second. J Martin grounded out to 1b unassisted. 1 run, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Montclair State inning 7 R Clark grounded out to 3b. A Vicaro popped up to 3b. S Evangelist struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Wheaton inning 7 M Vicaro to p for J Cook. Leonard grounded out to 3b. Anthoine struck out swinging. R Castillo walked. Yaglian reached on a fielding error by 3b; R Castillo advanced to second. Koocher reached on a fielding error by 2b; Yaglian advanced to third; R Castillo scored, unearned. Guillerault homered to left field, 3 RBI, unearned; Koocher scored, unearned; Yaglian scored, unearned. Laplante homered to left field, RBI, unearned. O'Conner struck out swinging. 5 runs, 2 hits, 2 errors, 0 LOB. Montclair State inning 8 Scelzo singled to center field. Cuozzi struck out swinging. Nunes lined into double play 2b to 1b; Scelzo out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Wheaton inning 8 Ocejo to 1b for Politan. T Meyer to rf for S Evangelist. R Anderson to p for M Vicaro. J Martin hit by pitch. K Olson pinch ran for J Martin. K Olson advanced to second on a wild pitch. Leonard walked. M Brown pinch hit for Anthoine. M Brown walked; Leonard advanced to second; K Olson advanced to third. R Castillo flied out to rf. Yaglian walked, RBI; M Brown advanced to second; Leonard advanced to third; K Olson scored. Rocco to p for R Anderson. M Miller pinch hit for Koocher. M Miller singled to left field, RBI; Yaglian advanced to second; M Brown advanced to third; Leonard scored. Guillerault walked, RBI; M Miller advanced to second; Yaglian advanced to third; M Brown scored. Laplante reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; Guillerault out at second 3b to 2b; M Miller advanced to third; Yaglian scored. O'Conner struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 4 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Montclair State inning 9 K Olson to dh. M Brown to lf. M Miller to cf. Baumer to 1b for Leonard. Ocejo flied out to rf. B Butler homered to right center, RBI. Harwick to dh for Bowness. Harwick singled to right field. R Clark singled to pitcher; Harwick advanced to second. Barnes to p for J Moore. A Vicaro singled to right field, RBI; R Clark advanced to third; Harwick scored. Recchia pinch ran for A Vicaro. T Meyer flied out to rf, SF, RBI; R Clark scored. Scelzo struck out swinging. 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Updated May 2006