Birmingham-Southern ousts W&J from D-III regional
HIGH POINT, N.C. — The second-ranked Washington & Jefferson College baseball suffered a 9-2 loss to Birmingham-Southern an elimination game Saturday morning at the six-team, NCAA Division III High Point, N.C. Regional at Truist Point.
The loss ends the Presidents’ season with a record of 37-3. The 37 wins are the third most in single-season history for W&J.
Birmingham-Southern, which beat W&J twice in the regional, improves to 27-15.
W&J couldn’t get things going offensively as it scored a season-low two runs and left 12 runners on base.
Winning pitcher Ricky Harrison threw six shutout innings and Noah Best homered for Birmingham-Southern.
The Presidents were turned away in the top of the second inning. A one-out triple by Michael Zito set W&J up with a chance to score first. However, Zito was thrown out at home on a ground ball by Nate Rush.
Birmingham-Southern scored first with a pair of runs in the second inning. After a hit batsman, Ian Hancock followed with an RBI triple to center field. An groundout scored Hancock to make it 2-0.
Possibly the game’s most critical play came in the bottom of the third inning. With a pair of runners on base and two outs, Adam Morris sent a towering drive deep into right centerfield. The ball appeared that it would go over the fence for a three-run homer, but Panthers right fielder Cole Steadman made a leaping grab to rob Morris.
BSC strengthened its lead with three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Best, the No. 9 batter in the lineup, blasted a three-run home run over the 400-foot sign in center field that made the score 5-0.
W&J scored its first run in the top of the seventh. Jason Gregovits singled and moved to third on a double by Tyler Horvat. An RBI groundout by Peter Kalinski scored Gregovits.
BSC tacked on three additional runs on four hits in the bottom of the eighth. A bases-loaded walk to Adam Moore in the ninth forced home W&J’s final run.
W&J starting pitcher Nick Drake gave up five runs in 4.1 innings. He walked one and struck out one.