Kavi Caster had a pair of hits to go along with three walks, including a two-run homer, and made a great catch in center field to boot. Photo by Steve Frommell, d3photography.com | More photos from this game

By Jim Dixon
D3baseball.com

Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Kavi Caster had himself a day as the Salisbury Sea Gulls came out on top to advance with a 7-2 win over UW-La Crosse in Saturday's second D-III World Series elimination game. Caster, a D3baseball.com All-American, was 2-for-2 with three walks, scoring three runs and driving in two.

"We live to fight another day," said Salisbury head coach Troy Brohawn. "We ran into a buzz saw the other day. These guys responded extremely well. We executed defensively, ran the bases well and got some timely hits. That's the staple of our offense."

"We feel like we play some pretty good competition all year long," said UW-La Crosse head coach Chris Schwarz. "They were the best team we played all year. We battled our butts off and did not come out on top. Thats a really good ball club."

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There were multiple lead changes in the early going with neither team gaining a clear advantage until a fifth inning home run off the bat of Caster. Meanwhile, Jackson Balzan also regrouped to put up a string of zeroes on the scoreboard. Balzan pitched a complete game, scattering nine hits. He walked none and struck out three.

"I like the big stage," said Balzan. "I don't feel pressure. I just go out and compete and my teammates helped me out huge in making plays. Early on my inside fastball was not working but my curveball and changeup felt well. As the game went on, I hammered the fastball to righties and it started working out for me."

"He allows us to play a little free not so uptight," said Caster about Balzan. "Shoveling that for all nine innings was good."

"He mixed it up pretty good," said UW-La Crosse outfielder, Jordan Williams. "He kept us off balance and we could not get any timely hits."

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Salisbury and UW-La Crosse scored a single run for each side in the second inning. Caster waked and stole second. Two batters later, Scott Cameron broght him home with a safety to right.

UW-La Crosse's Ty Hamilton singled up the middle and was moved to second when Logan Pye walked. A ground out moved the runners up. Hamilton scored when Salisbury's Stephen Rice bobble the ball and threw wide to his first baseman.

The Eagles added another run in the third as Jack Olver, Anthony Vivian and Ty Hamilton hit singles. Hamilton's safety brought home Olver.

The Sea Gulls answered to tie the game at 2-2. Caster walked for the second time and Stephen Rice sacrificed him to second. Cameron followed with a double to left but it looked like the ball would fall into the glove of the center fielder. When it did not, Caster could only move to third. Zach Geesman followed up with a sacrifice fly to score Caster.

Salisbury took a three run lead with Caster providing the big hit, a monster two-run home run over the right field fence. Luke Weddell walked and stole second. Jacob Ference singled in Weddell and was on base when Caster hit the ball out.

"Gpiing into the day, I wanted to be more patient with my approach," said Caster. "Select good pitches. I got a hold of one."

Salisbury added two run in the ninth. Cameron Hyder's first hit in the tournament was a double down the left field line. Danny Sheeler followed with with a free pass when he was hit by the UW-La Crosse pitcher. A double to deep center by Ference plated both runners to give the Sea Gulls a five-run cushion entering the final half inning.

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The Sea Gulls will play on Sunday against the loser of the East Texas Baptist-Lynchburg game in an elimination game. UW-La Crosse is eliminated and finishes its season 36-13.

"This group right here made a commitment to getting to the playoffs," said Schwarz. "We don't have a big senior-led team and they made the decision to do some damage in the playoffs. We did not expect it to end in two games."