W&J rolls on, advances to CWS championship series
Washington & Jefferson’s Nick Vento (10) is greeted at home plate after htting a three-run homer in the second inning of the Presidents’ victory over Roanoke in the NCAA Division III College World Series Sunday in Appleton, Wis.
Washington & Jefferson’s players celebrate an 8-1 win Sunday over Roanoke that sends the Presidents to the NCAA Division III championship series.
APPLETON, Wis. – The Washington & Jefferson baseball team will play for the NCAA Division III championship.
That was assured Sunday night when the Presidents defeated Roanoke, 8-1, to win its bracket at the College World Series.
W&J (41-11) had a 3-0 record to win Bracket 1. The Presidents will play California Lutheran, the winner of Bracket 2, in a best-of-3 championship series. Game 1 is set for 5 p.m. Monday.
California Lutheran eliminated North Central (Ill.) late Sunday night.
Roanoke defeated Concordia Chicago in an elimination game Sunday, then took a 1-0 lead against W&J in the top of the first inning. The Presidents, however, answered with five runs in the bottom of the first and cruised to the victory.
Roanoke had three singles and a hit batsman against W&J starting pitcher Trevor Kerr in the first inning but was held to one run, that scoring on a wild pitch.
“That first inning was critical,” W&J coach Jeff Mountain said. “We didn’t get off to the best start on the mound or defensively but were able to minimize the damage. The game could have gone one of two ways right there. We could keep it at a small number and keep in the game, or one big hit and it becomes a big inning that changes the complexion of the game.”
The latter scenario played out in the bottom of the first as W&J’s first five batters reached base. Adam LaRue, Derek Helbing and Nick Vento hit singles, which tied the score at 1-1. After a single by Nick Gatins loaded the bases, Mark Merlino delivered the big hit, belting a bases-clearing triple to right centerfield that made it a 4-1 game.
Merlino scored on a sacrifice fly by Ryan Sciullo to cap a five-run inning.
The 5-1 lead was enough for the W&J pitching staff. Kerr recovered from the rocky first inning and pitched six innings, allowing six hits and one walk. He struck out five. Ben Marsico pitched the final three innings for a save.
“Trevor battled,” Mountain said. “It was not pretty early. A starting pitcher is most vulnerable in that first inning. He found a way.”
The Presidents pushed their lead to 8-1 in the second inning as LaRue was hit by a pitch, Helbing walked and Vento hit a three-run homer down the right-field line.
“They threw a haymaker there with the three runs,” Roanoke coach Matt McGuire.
The final seven innings of the game were a scoreless pitchers’ duel.
Vento led W&J’s 10-hit attack by going 2-for-4 with four RBI. Merlino was 2-for-3 with three RBI.
W&J defeated Roanoke twice on consecutive days in bracket play, outscoring the Maroons 19-2.
“We have an explosive offense,” Mountain said, “and it has continued here, but we’ve also given up only four runs in three games and had one or two errors. That’s the blueprint for success at this level.”
This is the third time a W&J team has played for a Division III championship. The Presidents have a pair of runner-up finishes in the D-III football playoffs.
“We’re going to be facing a very confident team and a hot team,” Mountain said, “but I have all the confidence in the world in our guys. They are playing with confidence and poise.”