Patriots Sweep Bulldogs To Capture NCAA Title
The University of Texas at Tyler got a pair of critical home runs Tuesday to spark a 9-6 victory over Texas Lutheran University and claim the national title at the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship.
The Patriots won the opening game, 8-1, Tuesday in the best-of-three series at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. It was the first national title for Texas-Tyler in the Patriots' initial trip to the finals.
Senior pitcher Simon Sedillo tossed a complete game in the opener and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. He went 2-0 with a pair of complete-game performances.
In the second game, Texas-Tyler took early control with a four-run fourth inning. Blake Maddox smashed a two-run homer for the Patriots, and Tanner Roach added a two-run double to give Texas-Tyler a 4-1 edge.
Texas Lutheran, which needed a win to force a third game in the championship series, battled back to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth. The Bulldogs strung together four consecutive hits, including a run-scoring single by Cameron Wilson to trim the margin to 4-2. A hit batsman with the bases loaded and a fielder's choice plated two more runs, and the game was tied.
The score stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh, when Texas-Tyler's Josh Burns led off the inning with a walk. Alex Bishop then hit a towering drive down the right field line, and the wind helped the ball stay fair as it caromed off the foul pole for a two-run homer and a 6-4 lead.
The Patriots followed with three consecutive singles, a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to grab a 9-4 edge. Texas Lutheran came back with two runs in the top of the eighth to trim the lead to three but left two runners aboard.
Texas-Tyler's Alexander Mascotto then worked a perfect ninth to complete 3.2 innings of relief and clinch the national title.
Bowie Farris went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored for Texas-Tyler, and Roach and Blake Wilson both collected a pair of hits.
Keaton Boyson went 3-for-5 for Texas Lutheran (42-12), and Wilson finished with two hits and two runs batted in. Cade Killingsworth threw 2.1 innings of relief and took the loss.
In the opening game, Texas-Tyler scored five runs in the fourth inning to pull away for the victory.
The Patriots also got a superb pitching performance from Sedillo, who went the distance to pick up the win. He allowed six hits, struck out five and walked none.
Jared Pauley went 3-for-3 with a double, scored three runs and drove in a pair to lead Texas-Tyler. Farris and Roach both had a pair of hits for the Patriots, and Josh Burns drove in three runs.
With Texas-Tyler leading 2-1 heading to the fifth, the Patriots collected four hits in the frame to push the advantage to 7-1. Pauley had a two-run double in the inning, and Burns added a two-run single.
Texas Lutheran ace Nathan Malinovsky made the start, lasting just one inning and taking the loss.
2018 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship • Host Website
Photo courtesy of Steve Frommell, D3Photopgraphy.com