By Jim Dixon
D3sports.com

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Coming into the World Series as the No. 1 team, Eastern Connecticut will remain number one and will leave Cedar Rapids with a walnut and bronze trophy following a 3-2 win over Salisbury in game two of the D3CS. They won the opening game 11-6.

"National Champs. sounds really good," said Eastern Connecticut head coach Brian Hamm. "Something we have worked hard for. It is part of out tradition to get one."

This is the fifth D-III College World Series title for the Warriors. The Warriors have won titles now in five of the six cities that have hosted the D-III World Series. Eastern Connecticut State did not win a championship when the series was played in Bristol, Conn. in 1988 and 1989.

ESCU first baseman Josh Tower was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

"Going into the World Series, I was in a 2-for-25 slump," said Tower. "To get going with those five hits, it was surreal for the moment."

Eastern Connecticut wins the 2022 D-III College World Series!  Photo by Steve Frommell, d3photography.com | More photos from this game

"The first game, they took a lead and that took away some of the small ball things we do," said Salisbury head coach Troy Brohawn. "We just could not get the hit when we needed. To win the national championship, to get back to the finals is an accomplishment to be proud of."

• Division III World Series All-Tournament Team
• D3baseball.com World Series Scoreboard
• World Series: Day one | Day two | Day three | Day Four
• D-III World Series Record Book
• The D3baseball.com World Series Program

Salisbury opened the scoring in hopes of extending the World Series one more day. Ben Anderson, making his first start at DH, walked. Scott Cameron's single put runners on the corner and it was a second newcomer to the lineup making himself felt. Zach Geesaman singled to right to plate Anderson.

Salisbury threatened in the third but was unable to add on to the score.

Eastern Connecticut brought eight players to the plate in the bottom of the fifth to take a 3-1 lead. Jack Rich and Josh Tower opened the inning with singles. A sacrifice bunt attempt by Noah Plantanuro ended up as a foul pop up to the catcher. Jason Claiborn added to the hit parade loading the bases. A Zach Donahue groundout score one and a Ryan Bagdasarian single to center scored Tower and Claiborn.

"They were balanced on every pitch", said Salisbury starting pitcher Benji Thalheimer. "They were a good hitting team. they had the best approach.

"They had some soft contact hits in good count," said Brohawn. Usually three runs in six innings is a W for our team."

Salisbury got one run back in the seventh. Luke Weddell doubled down the left field line. Cameron Hyder's sacrifice bunt was popped up but the pitcher was unable to get to it and the Sea Gulls were in business. Ethan Wentzlaff pinch hit for Patrick Campbell and dinked one behind the first baseman, to score Weddedll easily. Hyder attempted to get to third but was thrown out by the the rightfielder for the second out of the inning. The Salisbury head coach challenged but the call stood. Kavi Caster's deep fly to center ended the inning.

Salisbury had one more chance in ninth but the Sea Gulls cold not muster any more offense. It was Weddell's ground ball to Plantanuro that ended the game and the celebration for the Warriors commenced.

Salisbury ends the season with a 3-2 record in the Championship and a 39-12 record, good for the second-most wins in program history. The Sea Gulls became the first team to make back-to-back appearances in the Championship Series since Marietta in 2011-12.

Game One

Eastern Connecticut State defeated the Salisbury Sea Gulls in game one of the the D3 Championship Series by a score of 11-6.

Picking up from their game yesterday with LaGrange, the Warrior hitters proved to be too much for Salisbury. The Eastern Connecticut offense had their best game of the Series with 18 base hits on the day. The Warriors were led by Josh Tower who added a series high five hits. Tower's five hits tied the D-III record for hits in a game. he is the 17th player to accomplish this feat in the 46 year history of the D-III World Series.

Eastern Connecticut did what no team in the last two years has done, hang a loss on Salisbury. The Warriors ended the Salisbury D-III World Series win streak at eight games. Josh Tower was a big part of this with a record tieing five hit game. more photos Photo by Steve Frommell, d3photography.com

Eastern Connecticut opened the scoring with an unearned run in the first. Ryan Bagdasarian reached as the third baseman misplayed the ball. He was plated on John Mesagno double to left center.

The Warriors added two in the second. Scott Cameron lost Jack Rich's fly ball and it fell untouched in left field.  Josh Tower put runners on the corner to his drive to the rightfielder. Two quick outs and it looked like Jimmy Adkins, the Salisbury starter was going to get out of the jam. Singles by Zach Donahue and Bagdasarian brought home the final two runs of the inning.

Salisbury ruined the shutout with a run in the third. It started with a one-out Patrick Campbell single through the middle of the infield. He took third on Stephen Rices's safety and score on a base hit by Sky Rahill.

The Warriors answered quickly with a run of their own to put the led back to three. Tower's second hit of the game opened the inning. A sacrifice bunt and pass ball put Tower in position to score on Donahue's base hit.

Salisbury answered and then some. The Sea Gulls opened with consecutive singles by Cameron Hyder and Patrick Campbell. Kavi Caster got his first hit of the day, a double to left center that reach the wall and plated the two runners ahead of him. Sacrifices brought home the third Sea Gull run of the inning, a bunt to move Caster to third and a fly ball to bring him home.

Salisbury quickly moved through the Warrior sixth and made a bid of their own to close the deficit. A two-out triple by Hyder went for naught as he was left stranded when the next batter flied to center.

The Sea Gulls took advantage of a leadoff hit in the seventh. Kaster on first motored to third on Rice's double to right. A lineout to the centerfield brought home Caster but Rice failed to take advantage of a throw from Bagdasarian that sailed over the head of the catcher and the pitcher backing him up.

Eastern Connecticut was not done. Broadhurst and Mesagno scored on Tower's fifth hit of the game in the eighth inning.

Salisbury scored the final run of the game in the eight inning. Ben Anderson, pitch hitting for Zach Adams, singled and was replaced with Joey Barnes as a pinch runner. A couple of free passes in the form of a walk and hit batter filled he sacks. Caster's fly to left allowed Barnes to score.