Game 14 - May 30, 2006
Story | Boxscore | Play-by-Play
GRAND CHUTE, Wis. – Entering Tuesday’s NCAA Division III national championship game at Fox Cities Stadium, it had been 20 years since the Marietta College baseball team had taken the top honors back to Ohio. Since then, the United States has been under the leadership of four different presidents. The Cold War ended, while music and fashion trends have come and gone. And nine years ago in Norton, Mass., Marietta’s 2006 championship-game opponent, Wheaton College, established its varsity baseball team. By that time, Marietta had already played in 14 of its 18 championship finals and had won three national titles. And Marietta proved on Tuesday that experience counts in a championship game.
Behind two home runs by Justin Steranka and a 12-strikeout pitching performance by Mike Eisenberg, Marietta dominated Wheaton in a 7-2 championship-clinching triumph.
The Pioneers, who established themselves as a small-college baseball power under the late Don Schaly over a four-decade span, became just the second Division III program to claim four national titles (1981, 1983, 1986, 2006), joining Eastern Connecticut State (1982, 1990, 1998, 2002) in the exclusive club. “I think it’s a testament to our program and the Marietta College baseball fraternity, but there’s a major sense of relief right now,” said third-year head coach Brian Brewer, who was a player and assistant coach twice each on Pioneer national finals teams. “This thing’s been a long time coming, and a lot of people have expected it for a lot of years.”
Marietta outscored its opponents 26-12 in winning its four tournament games, marking the second straight year that the national championship team has gone unbeaten through the five-day tournament.
Eisenberg delivered his second dominating outing on the mound to share tournament Co-Most Outstanding Player honors with his teammate, Steranka. Eisenberg struck out 12 Lyons on the afternoon while allowing just two walks and six hits in eight innings, giving him 23 strikeouts in his 16 innings of work in two starts in the finals. “Nobody’s more important than anybody else in our program, but he’s our No. 1 pitcher,” Brewer said. “He’s performed like it all year and he performed like it today. He’s just a super kid and a great competitor.”
“He pitched a really good game,” said Wheaton’s Pat O’Connor, who had a run-scoring single off of Eisenberg. “The slider was very effective today. It made us off-balance. A lot of us chased pitches in the dirt. The thing about his slider was that you couldn’t pick up the spin until it broke, and by then, you’re already swinging and you’re just lunging on it. He pitched a great game. He deserved to win today.”
Eisenberg delivered a solid mix of pitches – fastball, curveball and slider – and went through the first three innings without giving up a hit. In the fourth, Wheaton loaded the bases on a walk, fielding error and single, but a double-play grounder ended the threat. “I was just trying to get the ball where it needed to go, and our defense was huge today again,” Eisenberg said. “That double play with the bases loaded … was probably the biggest play of the game, because that was a momentum-changer right there.”
Marietta began its scoring barrage right after the double play, as all seven of its runs came via the long ball. The first was a Tony Piconke two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth. In the fifth, Steranka hit a three-run shot to left-center, then followed that up an inning later with a two-run blast to deep center field. “I went up there with the approach to hit the ball to the opposite field,” Piconke said of his homer. “He ( Wheaton pitcher Chris McDonough) ended up hanging a change-up up towards the middle of the plate, and I ended up putting a good swing on it and it went over.”
Steranka, who went 3-for-5 with five runs batted in on Tuesday, ended up claiming finals highs of three home runs and 11 RBI, while hitting .500 (9-for-11) in the Pioneers’ four games, the second-highest batting average among all players in the tourney. Teammate Jarrod Klausman, also an All-Tournament Team honoree from Marietta with Eisenberg, Steranka and Ryan Eschbaugh, hit .562 on the weekend (9-for-16).
“Normally, when Mike’s (Eisenberg) on the mound -- this has been the case all year – we don’t need to put up a lot of runs,” Steranka said. “When we can put up seven, normally we feel pretty good as a team that we can win most of the time. What better way to come out than in a national championship game, to put up an offensive display like that?”
In addition to Steranka’s 3-for-5 performance, Klausman, Piconke and Eschbaugh had two hits apiece.
Eisenberg allowed just one hit through his first six innings of work, but Wheaton got on the scoreboard in the seventh. Two walks and RBI singles by O’Connor and Brandon Leonard produced two runs in the frame.
After a scoreless eighth inning, a leadoff single in the ninth by Wheaton’s Adam Laplante brought Brewer to the Marietta mound to replace pitchers. Mike DeMark made his third appearance in the finals, claiming a strikeout while allowing one hit in the final inning.
Leonard led the Lyons with two hits, while Andy Koocher had a double, his 12th of the season. “We had a great season, a great run through our conference tournament, a great run through the regional tournament,” said Wheaton coach Eric Podbelski, the only head coach in the nine-year history of the Lyons’ program. “These guys will always be the first team that took us to this point … and once we were here, we weren’t just happy to be here. We got to the championship game. As hard as it is to reflect right now, I know that this team will always be remembered at Wheaton, and I’ll always remember them. It’s amazing.”
McDonough, who earned a win with an eight-inning, five-strikeout performance against North Carolina Wesleyan on Friday, lasted just four-and-a-third innings for the Lyons on Tuesday, striking out one while allowing 10 hits.
McDonough was one of two Wheaton Platers on the All Tournament team. Wheaton pitcher Louie Bernardini, who pitched eight-and-a-third innings with five strikeouts in a 5-4 win over Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Sunday, was also named to the team. Also named to the All-Tournament Team: pitcher Devin Drag and first baseman Patrick Ohail from Chapman, third baseman Robert Clark and pitcher Michael Vicaro from Montclair State, and utility player Jordan Zimmerman from Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Story | Boxscore | Play-by-Play
Wheaton 2 Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Travis Anthoine lf........ 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Jake Yagilian 2b.......... 3 0 0 0 1 2 6 4 Andy Koocher 1b........... 3 1 1 0 1 0 9 1 Scott Guillerault 3b...... 3 1 1 0 1 2 0 1 Adam Laplante c........... 4 0 1 0 0 2 3 0 Pat O'Conner rf........... 4 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 Jeff Martin dh............ 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Kyle Olson dh............. 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Mark Brown dh............. 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Brandon Leonard cf........ 4 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 Rafael Castillo ss........ 4 0 0 0 0 2 4 3 Chris McDonough p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Josh Simmons p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Keith Pescosoildo p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals.................... 33 2 7 2 3 13 24 12 Marietta 7 Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Ryan Belanger 2b.......... 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 3 Josh Beebe lf............. 4 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 Jarrod Klausman 1b........ 5 1 2 0 0 0 12 1 Justin Steranka 3b........ 5 2 3 5 0 0 0 1 Tom Doty dh............... 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 Devin Ward pr............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Joe Lithe dh.............. 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tony Piconke rf........... 4 1 2 2 0 0 3 0 Lee Guerrera c............ 3 0 1 0 0 0 7 6 Ryan Eschbaugh ss......... 4 0 2 0 0 0 1 4 Chris Hendricks cf........ 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 Mike Eisenberg p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Mike DeMark p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals.................... 35 7 15 7 2 2 27 15 Score by innings: R H E ---------------------------------------------- Wheaton 000 000 200 - 2 7 1 Marietta 000 232 00 - 7 15 1 ---------------------------------------------- E - Laplante; Klausman. DP - Wheaton 2; Marietta 2. LOB - Wheaton 7; Marietta 9. 2B - Koocher. HR - Steranka 2; Piconke. SB - Hendricks. SH - Beebe; Hendricks. Wheaton IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Chris McDonough..... 4.1 10 5 5 0 1 20 22 Josh Simmons........ 2.2 4 2 2 2 1 11 14 Keith Pescosoildo... 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 4 4 Marietta IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Mike Eisenberg...... 8.0 6 2 2 3 12 29 32 Mike DeMark......... 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 4 4 Win - Eisenberg 13-2. Loss - McDonough 8-2. Save - None. WP - DeMark. CI - Laplante. Umpires - Home:Mike Walsh 1st:K Joyce; RF: A Lanou 2nd:Camen Perotti 3rd:Thorton; L:Reinhardt Start: 12:45pm Time: 2:10 Attendance: 1198 Simmons faced 1 batter in the 8th. Eisenberg faced 1 batter in the 9th.
Story | Boxscore | Play-by-Play
Score by innings: R H E ---------------------------------------------- Wheaton 000 000 200 - 2 7 1 Marietta 000 232 00 - 7 15 1 ---------------------------------------------- Wheaton inning 1 Anthoine flied out to cf. Yaglian struck out swinging. Koocher flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Marietta inning 1 Belanger popped up to 2b. Beebe struck out looking. Klausman singled through the left side. Steranka grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Wheaton inning 2 Guillerault struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. Laplante struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. O'Conner grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Marietta inning 2 Doty singled to center field. Piconke popped up to 2b. Guerrera grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Doty out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Wheaton inning 3 J Martin struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. Leonard grounded out to 2b. R Castillo flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Marietta inning 3 Eschbaugh singled to second base. Hendricks out at first p to 2b, SAC, bunt; Eschbaugh advanced to second. Belanger lined out to rf. Beebe singled to first base; Eschbaugh advanced to third. Klausman lined out to ss. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Wheaton inning 4 Anthoine out at first 1b to p. Yaglian walked. Koocher reached on an error by 1b; Yaglian advanced to second. Guillerault singled to center field; Koocher advanced to second; Yaglian advanced to third. Laplante grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; Guillerault out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB. Marietta inning 4 Steranka singled to center field. Doty reached on a fielder's choice; Steranka out at second 2b to ss. Piconke homered to left field, 2 RBI; Doty scored. Guerrera reached on catcher's interference. Eschbaugh singled down the rf line; Guerrera advanced to third. Hendricks grounded into double play p to ss to 1b; Eschbaugh out on the play. 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. Wheaton inning 5 O'Conner struck out swinging. K Olson to dh for J Martin. K Olson grounded out to 3b. Leonard grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Marietta inning 5 Belanger grounded out to ss. Beebe singled to shortstop. Klausman singled to left field; Beebe advanced to second. Steranka homered to left field, 3 RBI; Klausman scored; Beebe scored. Simmons to p for McDonough. Doty walked. D Ward pinch ran for Doty. Piconke singled up the middle; D Ward advanced to second. Guerrera singled to right field; Piconke advanced to second; D Ward advanced to third. Eschbaugh popped up to 2b. Hendricks struck out swinging. 3 runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. Wheaton inning 6 R Castillo struck out swinging. Anthoine struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. Yaglian struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Marietta inning 6 Belanger singled to shortstop. Beebe grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; Belanger advanced to second. Klausman popped up to 1b. Steranka homered to center field, 2 RBI; Belanger scored. Litke to dh for D Ward. Litke out at first 1b to p. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Wheaton inning 7 Koocher walked. Guillerault walked; Koocher advanced to second. Laplante struck out looking. O'Conner singled through the left side, RBI; Guillerault advanced to second; Koocher scored. K Olson struck out swinging. Leonard singled to left field, RBI; O'Conner advanced to second; Guillerault scored. R Castillo struck out swinging. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Marietta inning 7 Piconke grounded out to 2b. Guerrera lined out to ss. Eschbaugh popped up to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Wheaton inning 8 Anthoine singled to shortstop. Yaglian grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Anthoine out on the play. Koocher doubled down the rf line. Guillerault struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Marietta inning 8 Hendricks walked. Pescosoildo to p for Simmons. Belanger popped up to 1b, bunt. Hendricks stole second. Beebe singled to shortstop; Hendricks advanced to third. Klausman fouled out to c. Steranka grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Wheaton inning 9 Laplante singled to left field. DeMark to p for Eisenberg. O'Conner flied out to rf. M Brown to dh for K Olson. M Brown struck out swinging. Laplante advanced to second on a wild pitch. Leonard singled to left field; Laplante advanced to third. R Castillo flied out to rf. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Updated May 2006