ADRIAN, Mich.--Adrian College remains alive on Day 2 of the NCAA Division III Baseball Regional Championship Tournament here after coming back to clip the wings of the visiting Redhawks from La Roche, 6-4 in 10 innings on Saturday. La Roche is eliminated from the event.
THE BASICS
= Final Scoreline: NCAA Division III Adrian Regional, Game 3--No. 3 seed Adrian College 6-8-2, No. 4 seed La Roche University 4-11-3 (10 innings)
= Location: Location: Nicolay Field, Adrian, Mich.; Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 66 degrees, Wind calm
= Records: Adrian Bulldogs 36-8 overall; La Roche Redhawks 30-15 overall
= National Rankings: Adrian is No. 13 by the American Baseball Coaches Association/Collegiate Baseball Newspaper (281 points) and No. 9 in the D3baseball.com/National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (378) poll; AC's NCAA Mideast Regional Ranking: No. 4...La Roche is receiving votes in the D3baseball Top-25.
TOP 'DAWGS
= Sophomore Brandon Cooper hit his second home run in as many days.
= Classmate Thomas Miller went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and a pair of walks.
THE OPPOSITION
= Jonathan Spina and Austin Hoffman both had two hits to lead the Redhawks' 11-hit attack. The latter added two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED VS La ROCHE
= Adrian manufactured two runs in the top of the 10th inning when senior Zack Zschering perfected a suicide-squeeze bunt single to score sophomore Sean O'Keefe, who led off with a double to left field, and junior Brady Wood lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to plate Zschering who eventually got to third base after an error and a fielder's choice. That broke a 4-4 tie.
= La Roche threatened in the bottom half but could not tie to extend the contest. After a strikeout, Troy Kifer singled to left center and Spina hit a single through the left side that was sandwiched around a flyout. Hoffman popped up to Miller at shortstop to end the game.
= The Redhawks took a 2-0 advantage in the first frame. Hoffman had a RBI-double to left-center and Jay Novak hit into a fielder's choice to bring in another run.
= In the second, Miller cut the deficit to 2-1 with a RBI-single up the middle.
= Adrian tied it 2-2 in the fourth when Miller struck again for a RBI-single to left field.
= The Bulldogs took their first lead at 3-2 two innings later when senior Jason Croci drilled a RBI-triple over the right fielder's head to the wall.
= La Roche got a RBI-single to second base in the seventh to knot the score 3-3.
= Cooper hit a solo shot over the wall in left-center to restore the Bulldogs lead to 4-3 in the eighth.
= But the game that featured numerous twists and turns as well as scoring opportunities aplenty for both sides, was tied once again in the ninth by La Roche. Spina, who was attempting a sacrifice bunt, reached first on a throwing error by pitcher Dugan Darnell that allowed pinch-runner Tyler Simpson to score, unearned, all the way from second base after he got in scoring position via a passed ball. There were still no outs.
= The Redhawks proceeded to load the bases on two intentional walks after Hoffman made the first out of the ninth. Adrian, however, got out of the jam without further damage after Novak flied out to center and Darnell got Tristin Tinney to strike out looking to end the thrilling game.
= The teams combined for 27 runners left on base, with Adrian having 14 and La Roche, 13.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
= Adrian is now 21-26 in the NCAA Tournament all-time.
= The Bulldogs take a 3-1 all-time lead in the series against La Roche, with three meetings occurring in the NCAAs.
#AdrianBulldogs #GoDawgs #BulldogProud
