May 16, 2009

Box Score

ADRIAN, Mich. - The Adrian College baseball team has proven time and again that they are never out when facing adversity and after dropping their first game of the regionals, they have won two in a row after a 3-1 win over top-seeded Heidelberg on Saturday. The win knocked the Student Princes out of the tournament and now Adrian will play Wooster on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

Wooster and Marietta will play at noon on Sunday and Adrian will await the Fighting Scots who are currently 2-0 in the regional after winning 13-3 against Marietta in the first game on Saturday. If Wooster wins then Adrian will have to beat them twice in claim the regional crown. If Marietta wins then Adrian could possibly eliminate Wooster at 3:30 p.m. and play Marietta for the title at 7:00 p.m.

Nick Vandike was the story for Adrian as he had a career night. He allowed just three hits to a team that came into the game with a .353 team batting average. He exited with no outs and runners at second and third in the eighth inning. He allowed one earned run and walked three while striking out one in a 91-pitch effort to improve to 6-2 this season.

"I just came out and tried to give my team with best chance to win," said VanDike. "I wanted to attack the strike zone and rely on my defense to make plays behind me. When I'm on the mound, they always give 100 percent and that makes my job a lot easier."

Ryan Domschot got Matt Grassley to ground out to shortstop which scored a run to cut the lead to 3-1 and advance other runner to third with one out. Domschot made a great defensive play off the bat of Gar Keen as he gloved a shot right back at him and looked the runner back to third before throwing Keen out at first. He then got Biagio Boytim to fly out to right on a full count pitch.

Domschot then set Heidelberg down in order in the bottom of the ninth for his first save of the season. "I knew that I might be coming out of the bullpen if we ran into trouble," said Domschot. "I just wanted to be there for my team after my poor outing against Marietta. I left confident coming in late and wanted to get the win for Nick. He did a great job."

Adrian (33-10) and Heidelberg traded good pitching performances through the first four innings as both teams each had just one hit. The Bulldogs broke into the scoring column in the top of the fifth for two runs. Andrew Anderson had a one-out double to left and Joe Dubina reached on a fielding error by Ricky Lizcano at third base. Kris Powell had an RBI single through the left side which scored Anderson from second. Dubina was thrown out between second and third on the play. Powell stole second with Todd Meyers batting and the senior shortstop delivered an RBI single through the left side for an unearned run.

Adrian got another run in the sixth as Alex Cowart led off the inning by reaching third base on a three-base error by right fielder L.B. Emrhein. Cowart then scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0. Elvin Williams (5-1) pitched well and was not helped out by his defense. He allowed just six hits in 6.1 innings and struck out two Bulldogs in a 90-pitch outing.

Andy Lowe was very good out of the bullpen for Heidelberg going the final 2.2 innings and allowing a double to Steve Vanderheyden. He struck out four of the eight batters he faced. Jeremy Wentworth was 1-for-4 with a double for the Student Princes.

Meyers had a pair of singles and also lined out sharply to second base with an RBI in four at-bats. Powell also had two hits in three at-bats while scoring once with one RBI.