Matt Connolly's first home run of the season helped spark Ithaca to a 6-4 win over Linfield. Photo by Larry Radloff, d3photography.com More photos from this game

By Ryan Smith
for D3sports.com

GRAND CHUTE, Wis. – Ithaca survived an elimination game and advanced to the final day of the season by coming from behind to beat the Linfield Wildcats 6-4 in the NCAA Division III College World Series.

• D3baseball.com scoreboard
• d3photography.com photo galleries
• D3baseball.com's Day 4 video recap
• Game 12: Southern Maine stays alive on battery power
• Watch Ithaca news conference
• Watch Linfield news conference
• Championship Record Book

The Bombers fell behind early but were able to come up with big hits throughout the game and mustered enough offense to grind out the victory.

Linfield came out running in the first and showed no signs of toning down the aggression that the Wildcats have shown throughout the tournament.

Tim Wilson got on base after a Tim Locastro throwing error and beat out the throw on a fielder’s choice when Corey VanDomelen laid down a bunt to end up at second. Wilson scored on a Jake Wylie single to right field. The very next hitter, Kramer Lindell, smoked a grounder up the middle that scored VanDomelen. The play was aggressive and showed the Wildcats game plan early on.

“It’s something you always want to do,” Linfield coach Scott Brosius said. “Put pressure on the other team on the bases and you pick the appropriate moments to take that extra base and take it when you can.”

Later in the inning, Clayton Truex singled to load the bases for Linfield. The Wildcats sent Wylie home on a passed ball from Ithaca starter Pat Lemmo but was thrown out at the plate as Linfield kept their aggressive strategy.

Ithaca struck back in the second when Matt Connolly hit a solo home run off the left field foul pole to bring the Bombers back within one. It was Connolly’s first homer of the season.

Both teams were quiet until Linfield mounted another scoring look in the bottom of the fourth. Jordan Harlow and Kyle Chamberlain stood on the corners with none out for Michael Hopp. Hopp hit into a fielder’s choice that brought Harlow home to put the Wildcats up 3-1. 

The Bomber bats finally got going in the top of the fifth. Christian Brown came around to score on a RBI single from Colby Gee. The next hitter, Corey Caswell, doubled to bring home Locastro and tie the game at 3-3. Vinny Gneo pinch hit for Max Addy and poked an RBI single to give the Bombers a 4-3 lead. 

Locastro added another Ithaca run in the sixth with an RBI single that made the score 5-3. 

It was another big game for Locastro, a D3baseball.com second team All-American. The junior walked three times and added two hits as he reached the base paths in every at bat. 

“I was just trying to get on base for the guys behind me like I have all year,” Locastro said. “They have been good enough to hit me in.”

Ithaca coach George Valesente said that Locastro is a nightmare for opposing teams on the offensive end.

“He creates major problems on base,” Valesente said. “You can tell by the other team and what they try to do. He is always a threat to steal and an intelligent base runner. From an offensive standpoint, he has done everything that anyone could ever ask.” 

The Wildcats got one back in the bottom half of the sixth when Chamberlain doubled and brought home Harlow, making it a 5-4 ballgame.

Linfield got another opportunity in the eight when Kramer Lindell led off the inning with a walk. Lindell advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and on to third on a passed ball. The Bombers pulled it together and got two outs and stranded Lindell at third to keep the one run lead.

Ithaca tacked on the games final run in the ninth when Locastro walked and came around to score on a sacrifice fielder’s choice, putting the Bombers up 6-4.

Ithaca put the Wildcats down in order in the ninth inning to close out the game.

The Bombers got another strong start from Lemmo. The senior recorded win No. 12 Monday, throwing 7.0 innings and just one earned run, tying Ithaca's school record for wins in a season. 

Lemmo came out looking for revenge after getting bounced from the game early on Friday when he allowed five runs in as many innings to the Wildcats.

“Facing them again is exactly what I wanted,” Lemmo said. “I knew that I was going to pitch again if we kept winning and we did that … I learned from my mistakes and pitched a little better.”

Ithaca advances to play Southern Maine at 11 a.m. CT on Tuesday. The winner of that game will play Linfield in a winner-take-all game for the NCAA D-III national championship in a game scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

Brosius said that Linfield won’t hold their heads after a loss today and this has been the goal all season.

“Who wouldn’t want this?” Brosius said. “This is something we talk about all year long. If you had one game for the national title, would you want to be in that game, absolutely.”

Ithaca postgame news conference

Linfield postgame news conference