WASHINGTON, Pa. - Junior Nic Phelps (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin) fanned eight in eight innings and sophomore Rick Spiers (South Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) had two hits, including a home run, as second-ranked and second-seeded Randolph-Macon dropped a 7-2 decision in 12 innings to top-seeded La Roche Saturday evening in the Mideast Regional of the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
The Yellow Jackets (35-7-1) and the Redhawks (40-10) will meet for the regional title and a trip to the College World Series on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
Phelps allowed six hits and two runs (one earned) with three walks.
After Phelps threw a scoreless top of the first, Spiers led off the bottom of the frame with a homer to left center to give R-MC a 1-0 lead. It was his third homer of the season and second in as many days in the regional.
The Yellow Jackets added to their lead in the third. Junior Jordan Schmeer (Richmond, Va./Benedictine) had a leadoff single and moved to second on an error. Spiers reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Schmeer scored on a double play to give R-MC a 2-0 edge.
LRC took advantage of a pair of errors in the top of the fifth to plate two runs and tie the game at 2-2.
The Redhawks threatened in the sixth. Following a leadoff single, LRC put on a hit-and-run play. Schmeer was moving toward second and snagged the ball hit up the middle, stepped on second and threw to first to complete the double play.
R-MC had chances in the first two extra frames. In the bottom of the 10th, junior Stuart Brown (Midlothian, Va./Trinity) had a leadoff walk, moved to second on a one-out single by freshman Jeffrey Butler (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) and advanced to third on a groundout. But a strikeout ended the threat.
In the 11th, senior Travis Lodge (Chesterfield, Va./Matoaca) had a leadoff walk and moved to second on a base hit by senior Nick Maiolo (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan). A sacrifice by senior Mitchell Keeler (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) put both in scoring position, but a come-backer to the mound and a strikeout forced a 12th inning.
In the final inning, the Redhawks put up five runs to claim the 7-2 victory.
Spiers and Maiolo both finished with two hits.
R-MC lost its first extra-inning game of the season, dropping to 3-1.