May 19, 2010

Box Score

MARIETTA, Ohio - Adrian College baseball was living on the edge in game one of the 2010 Mideast Regional but with two runs in the top of the 10th they pulled out a 9-7 win over Washington & Jefferson. The Bulldogs (30-11) hit the 30-win plateau in what was a see-saw affair between two good teams.

Adrian jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Jake Cappelletty stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs and hit a 3-2 pitch into center for a two-RBI single. Washington & Jefferson scored the game's next three runs to take a 3-2 lead after the fifth. Frank Quirin had an RBI single in the first and Jim Pasquine tied the game in the third with a RBI double.

The Presidents took a 3-2 lead as Quirin had an RBI double to right for his second RBI of the game. Adrian tied the game in the top of the sixth as Andrew DeLuca scored the tying run. He pinch ran for Jason Greer after Greer singled to start the inning. DeLuca stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. Steve Vanderheyden reached on a fielding error as DeLuca stayed at third. Joe Dubina laid down a safety squeeze bunt and was thrown out at first which allowed DeLuca to head for home and just beat the throw with a slide around the tag.

The Bulldogs took a 7-3 lead with a four-run seventh inning as Alex Cowart singled to start the inning and Nate Sarkissian reached first on a fielding error allowing Cowart to race to third with no outs. Brian Bilus had an RBI single and Sarkissian took third after he stole second on the previous pitch. Cappelletty collected his third RBI of the game with a double to the wall in right which scored Sarkissian and put Bilius on third. DeLuca then followed with a flare single to center which allowed Bilius to score and put runners on the corners. Vanderheyden then hit a sacrifice fly to right to give AC a 7-3 advantage.

W&J loaded the bases with three straight walks to start the bottom of the seventh and eventually scored three runs in the frame to cut the lead to 7-6 after seven innings. W&J tied it in the bottom of the eighth as Joe Bogdewiecz hit a lead-off double and Andy Trettel singled him home to make it 7-7.

Adrian went in order in the top of the ninth and the Presidents put pressure on Adrian as Aaron Klinec drew a one-out walk and Scott Brady also got a free pass to put runners on first and second with two outs. Bogdewiecz nearly ended the game but his two-out line drive was snared by Vanderheyden at second to give AC new life in extra innings.

Vanderheyden singled to start the 10th and Dubina bunted him over to second with one out. Andrew Anderson was hitless in five at-bats but saved his hit for a big moment as he singled to center to put Adrian ahead 8-7. Cody Meyer laid down a bunt single to put two on with one out. Cowart drove home Anderson from second with a single to give Adrian a little more cushion at 9-7. W&J went down in order in the bottom of the 10th as Mark Thomchick struck out swinging to end the game.

David Partyka (8-1) got the win in his first relief appearance of the season. He entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh and finished with four innings, four hits, two earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts. Ryan Domschot got the start and threw five innings. He allowed five hits, two earned runs, four walks and four strikeouts in a 100-pitch outing. Nick Sarkissian threw one inning and allowed two earned runs with three walks.

Cowart led the Bulldogs with a 5-for-6 effort. It was the first five-hit game of the season for a Bulldog. He raised his season average to .493 and scored a pair of runs. Meyer had a pair of singles in five at-bats. Cappelletty went 2-for-5 with a run. The Bulldogs outhit Washington & Jefferson, 16-10, as the Presidents threw four pitchers. Jordan Zivoder was saddled with the loss (1-4). He set down six straight before allowing the two runs in the 10th.

The Bulldogs will now play top-seeded Heidelberg (37-6) at 8 PM tonight. If Adrian wins they will have Thursday off and not play again until Friday at 11 AM. With a loss they will play Thursday night at 8 PM.