McMINNVILLE, Ore. – It was only fitting that an elimination game between Cal Lutheran and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point would go into extra innings at the NCAA Division III Baseball Playoffs hosted at Linfield College as part of the McMinnville Regional tonight. It took the Kingsmen and Pointers 12 innings and nearly four hours to determine a winner. In a game that saw four ties and five lead changes, it was the Midwest team that came out on top, 9-7, while the CLU season came to a close as one of the final 32 teams remaining.

A quintessential back-and-forth battle saw the teams exchange runs in the first with Wisconsin-Stevens Point notching three consecutive hits to start the game as the visiting team. Cal Lutheran starter Trey Saito worked out of trouble and settled down getting the side in order in the second inning and faced just one man over the minimum in the third.

The Kingsmen initially scored with some help from the UWSP defense. Justin Caña reached on an error to start things off. Nicho DellaValle lined a hit up the middle and while it looked as if it might be a double play, the ball ricocheted off the second base bag and skidded into centerfield putting men on the corners. Jake Petersen drove in Caña to equalize the score by hustling out a fielder's choice.

In the bottom of the third CLU tacked on three more with some more aid from the Pointers. Justin Kay reached on an infield single and Caña was hit by a pitch before DellaValle worked a four-pitch walk. Petersen produced his second RBI of the day and Abushahla followed suit with a run-scoring fielder's choice that was also combined with a UWSP error to allow two more men to scurry across the plate for a 4-1 advantage.

Just as quickly as Cal Lutheran gained the lead, they lost it. A single from Casey Barnes allowed Spencer DuBois to team up with Kay for another runner caught stealing, also representing the first out of the top of the fourth. Unfortunately, a pair of walks bumped Saito from the hill. Landry Kiyabu came on in relief and forced a quick ground ball with implications of a double play, but an error cost the Kingsmen as the miscue led to three runs, including a two-RBI double from Harry Steldt, and another tied game.

A scoreless fifth was followed by an interesting double play to end the top of the sixth as a UWSP batter was called out on account of a runner's interference at second base.

Petersen collected his second hit of the game and stole second to get into scoring position. Ramsey Abushahla poked a ball to the hole between first and second and outkicked the pitcher to the base for an infield hit and swiped second. Designated hitter, Nico Filice stroked a two-RBI triple to give the Violet and Gold a 6-4 lead.

Kiyabu got a three-pitch strike out to start the top of the seventh and on the next offering he forced a ground ball to Davey Casciola at third. The final out of a 1-2-3 inning that featured just six pitches was a ground ball to Kay.

No one scored in the seventh inning and with one out in the eighth, Kiyabu gave way to CLU closer Aaron Roth with two men on. A sacrifice fly from Bobby Gregorich cut the gap to one at 6-5. Roth battled for the final out, eventually forcing a foul pop-up that Collin Crowl caught at the first base fence.

After Roth surrendered the tying run, which ended his bid for a 14th save this spring, he returned to get a looking strike out and a swinging strike out to end the ninth stanza. He came back and pitched the 10th and recorded one out in the 11th before Tyler Hebda headed back to the bump for the second time in as many days.

An RBI double by Casey Barnes that was nearly a highlight reel diving catch by Caña in the left centerfield gap put the Pointers ahead 7-6 in the top of the 11th inning, which ended with a phenomenal play from Casciola and Crowl from corner to corner of the diamond.

Just as they have done all season, the Kingsmen grinded and generated the equalizing run again in the bottom half of the inning on a Gabe Gunter double that scored senior Craig Jacobson who was pinch running for Crowl after the first baseman singled to start the inning. CLU left the bases loaded unable to push any more runs across.

A two-out rally ensued in the top of the 12th with three consecutive hits for two runs to break the tie for the final time. Jimmy Coady doubled in Riley Spetz with the game-winner and came around for an insurance run on an RBI single from Ben Gerber.

In his final collegiate at-bat, Petersen doubled to lead off final half inning, but was stranded on the pond.

Overall, UWSP and CLU collected 15 and 10 hits, respectively and the teams combined to use 10 pitchers. Barnes and Taylor Carlson each had three hits for the Pointers while Petersen recorded three for the Kingsmen. Caña scored two of the seven CLU runs and Spetz crossed the plate a trio of times to pace UWSP. The win went to Cam Seidl (7-2) following 2/3 of an inning stint and Luke Watson (2) got the save by recording the final three outs.

Defensively, DellaValle had six assists and a putout, Kay had three putouts and three assists and Casciola had two putouts and an assist. Behind the plate, DuBois caught all 21 innings today and blocked more balls in the dirt than you could count. In the season finale he had 11 putouts and two assists.

Cal Lutheran pitchers struck out 11 batters, but all runs were earned. Saito went 3.1 innings and was charged with three runs, walking four and striking out one in the no decision. Kiyabu struck out five and walked just one over 4.0 innings and Roth threw more than 70 pitches in 3.0 innings with a trio of Ks. Hebda (5-3) was tagged with the loss after a 1.2 inning outing, though he struck out a pair.

Cal Lutheran (36-10) concludes its 2014 campaign with the most wins in a single-season since 1992. Five Kingsmen, DellaValle, Jacobson, Hebda, Petersen and Roth each appeared in the Violet and Gold for the final time today.

The Regional finale on Saturday, May 17 at Roy Hesler Field inside of Jim Wright Stadium will feature defending national champion Linfield against the UWSP. First pitch is slated for 12:00 p.m. with a second game to follow at 3:30 p.m. if necessary. The winner will advance to the 2014 NCAA Division III College World Series in Appleton, Wis. from May 23-27.