MARIETTA, Ohio - Adrian pitcher Eric Schmidt knows he isn't going to overpower hitters with his stuff.
But that's not to say he won't challenge hitters when he takes the mound. He did just that and helped Adrian advance in the 2012 NCAA Division III Mideast Regional with a 3-2 victory over LaRoche at Don Schaly Stadium.
"I wasn't trying to get strikeouts and just let my defense play behind me," he said. "I was just pounding the strike zone and trying to let them hit into outs."
It worked.
Schmidt improved to 9-0 on the season, while allowing just six hits and striking out one over 7 2/3 innings. LaRoche (25-10) didn't score a run until the eighth when the Redhawks rallied for two runs on four hits.
"I started leaving pitches up a bit and started missing my spots and they took advantage of it," Schmidt said.
Adrian (37-9) turned to Lucas Willitzer to close the door and he didn't allow a hit over the final 1 1/3 innings for his third save of the season.
"We just have to move to the next game and try to stay in the tournament and everybody's chances get the same as we go along," said Adrian coach Craig Rainey. "We got a huge pitching performance and Eric did a great job for us and he ate up a lot of innings for us and saved our bullpen."
The Bulldogs will get to face No. 1 seed Marietta at 8 p.m. Friday thanks to some timely hitting as well.
Designated hitter Mitch Stefanski belted a solo home run in the second to give Adrian a 1-0 lead. However, LaRoche starter Reed Tomlinson settled down and didn't allow any more runs until the seventh.
Third baseman Michael Herzog drove in first baseman R.J. Rios with a sacrifice fly and then center fielder Sam Fischer ripped a double to left center to score catcher Anthony Sergi.
"I didn't think it was going to end up 1-0," Rainey said. "Their kid did a great job and kept us off balance."
LaRoche coach Chase Rose was hoping his players could get their second regional win.
"We're the eight seed an obviously the underdog in every game," he said. "So that's what you would expect from a team like us. We're tough and we keep grinding it."
Rowe, who played in two regionals and a world series while playing at Slippery Rock, said he's glad his players got to experience the regional action.
"I think more than anything it gives us the experience we need and hopefully we come back here and feel like we belong. … It can only go up from here," Rowe said. "I think this is by far the stuff the kids will remember forever."