May 26, 2008

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

APPLETON, Wis. - The Adrian College baseball team's dream run towards a national title came to an end on Memorial Day with a 13-11 loss to Wisconsin-Whitewater as the Bulldogs claim fourth place in all of Division III. Adrian (36-13) was making their first appearance in the championships and made a name for themselves while getting plenty of support from everyone in Appleton.

Adrian got on the board first with two runs in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Alex Cowart got something going with a two-out double to right center and senior Bobby Rickstad followed with a towering drive over the center field wall on a full-count pitch which measured roughly 400 feet. It was Rickstad's eighth home run of the season and his first extra-base hit of the championships.

UW-Whitewater got their bats going in the bottom of the second scoring twice to tie the game at 2-2. Greg Harder delivered a bases loaded single to left which scored Ben Prather and Joe Munn. The Warhawks scored three times in the third to take a 5-2 lead. Kevin Zalnis hit an RBI single through the left side to give UWW a one-run lead. Jordan Stine knocked in two runs with a two-out single to right which pushed the lead to three runs.

UW-Whitewater added two more runs in the fourth inning on a huge Zalnis homer, his 18th of the year, to center which made it 7-2. The Warhawks built their lead to 10-2 with a three-spot in the fifth. Ben Kuhlmann had an RBI double to right which dropped in front of Andrew Anderson due to a strong wind blowing left to right most of the afternoon. Jeff Donovan drove in the 10th run with an RBI single through the right side.

Adrian has been down this season but never out of a game as they responded with an incredible seven runs in the top of the sixth to get within 10-9. Adrian sent 11 hitters to the plate in the inning and got clutch hit after clutch hit in the frame. Jake Cappelletty had an RBI double to get the first run across. Todd Meyers had an RBI single to make it 10-4. Rickstad had an infield RBI single which cut the lead to 10-6. Steve Vanderheyden laced an RBI single to left cutting the lead to three and Brian Bilius delivered a two-run triple to left center. The Bulldogs through six innings had six two-out RBI's out of eight total RBI's.

UW-Whitewater had the crushing blow in the bottom of the seventh inning as Donovan took an inside pitch and drilled a three-run home run over the right field wall to give UWW a 13-9 lead. Adrian cut the lead to 13-10 as Cappelletty had an RBI double with two outs in the eighth which scored Bilius from first. The Bulldogs made things very interesting in the top of the ninth. Meyers had a one-out double down the left field line and Nate Sarkissian was hit by the pitch bringing the tying-run to the plate. Cowart lifted a high flyball to the wall in right center which was caught just barely missing a home run and Meyers tagged to third with two outs. Rickstad hit an RBI single to left to cut the lead to 13-11 with runners on first and second. Vanderheyden hit a 1-2 pitch into shallow right and Munn made the final catch for the Warhawks.

Rickstad playing in his final game had a huge day reaching base six times. He went 4-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and four RBI's and also walked twice. Meyers batted 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Bilius and Cappelletty each drove in two runs as each guy had a fantastic championship tournament. Alexander Younce also in his final game as a Bulldog went 2-for-4 with a run scored.