Baseball: Thomas More’s rally beats W&J in PAC title game
Top-seeded and host Thomas More rallied to score two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and defeat Washington & Jefferson 4-3 in the championship game of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference baseball tournament Sunday afternoon in Crestview Hills, Ky.
Thomas More (30-10) earns the PAC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division III tournament that begins Wednesday.
W&J’s record falls to 26-17.
The Presidents led 3-2 entering the bottom of the eighth. Thomas More, which forced the “if necessary” game by defeating W&J 8-7 Saturday, tied the score at 3-3 when Donovan Pogue scored on a sacrifice fly by Zach Fardo. A one-out single by Bailey Abbatiello scored pinch-runner Chase Whitaker from third base to score the go-ahead run.
After the teams traded runs in the first inning, a third-inning RBI-groundout by first baseman Mark Merlino gave W&J a 2-1 lead.
Bailey Abbatiello’s two-out, run-scoring single in the fourth evened the score at 2-2 before W&J catcher Derek Helbing scored shortstop Michael Ruffing with a sacrifice fly in the sixth to push W&J back into the lead at 3-2.
W&J starting pitcher Riley Groves had a strong outing, working into the seventh inning, giving up seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
The Presidents outhit Thomas More 15-8. Designated hitter Frank Fortunado was 4-for-4 with a double, W&J’s lone extra-base hit. Right fielder Nick Vento was 3-for-5.