June 6, 2024

Misericordia makes history

Batting

UW-Whitewater
2B: Andy Thies; Sam Paden
3B: none
HR: none
Misericordia
2B: Garrett McIlhenney; Brock Bollinger; Gabe Bunn; Owen Cordner
3B: none
HR: none
full stats

By Joe Sager
 D3sports.com

EASTLAKE, Ohio – Misericordia made history.

The Cougars became the first Pennsylvania program to capture a D-III World Series championship when it topped UW-Whitewater, 10-5, in Game 3 of the D-III Championship Series at Classic Auto Group Park on Thursday, June 6.

“It’s still sinking in right now,” said Misericordia head coach Pete Egbert, who picked up his 600th career win. “Just (Wednesday) night, I was thinking back to earlier in the season when we were 7-7 and not playing very good baseball and I was concerned we weren’t going to make our conference tournament and here we are. It’s absolutely unbelievable. Just some really gutty performances from all of our guys. I am proud of everything they were able to accomplish.”

Misericordia (44-11) took Game 1, 12-9, on Tuesday, but UW-Whitewater (45-12) evened the series with a 16-10 triumph in Thursday’s Game 2 to force Game 3.

The 2024 Division III baseball national champions: Misericordia.
Photo by Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com
 

“We’ve been there before. Our guys aren’t going to lie down,” Egbert said. “We’ve been punched before. We talk about what you’re made of is what happens when you’re punched.”

The Cougars showed their resiliency and punched back with a strong start in Game 3. After starting pitcher Connor Maryniak dispatched the Warhawks in order to begin the game, Misericordia’s offense took over. The team erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the first.

Garrett McIlhenney began the game in vintage Cougars fashion when he was hit by a pitch. He moved to second on Jack Regenye’s sacrifice bunt and scored when Brock Bollinger laced a double. Maryniak drew a walk and Joe Comins and Jason Sanfilippo followed with RBI singles. After an out, Gabe Bunn, Owen Cordner and McIlhenney all swatted doubles for the 7-0 edge.

“I tried to set the tone the best I could. I wanted to fire the guys up the best I could, especially after dropping the first game,” Maryniak said. “Then, coming out and punching them in the mouth quickly is exactly what we needed to do. The offense stepped up for me and I just had to go out and do my job after that.”

The team’s offensive eruption had UW-Whitewater reeling. Starting pitcher Cade Berendt was chased after retiring just two of the first eight hitters he faced. Jack Hagen relieved him, but faced only three batters before he, too, was pulled for Max Huseboe, who got the last out of the frame.

“In hindsight, that (start) was the difference,” said UWW head coach John Vodenlich. “In the moment, you’re just trying to figure out how to stop the flood. We didn’t do a very good job of that, and I include myself in that. But, I do think that’s a hard thing to overcome.”

The Cougars added two more in the bottom of the third. Bunn led off with a single and moved to second on Cordner’s sacrifice bunt. He scored when McIlhenney reached on an error. Regenye singled to put runners on the corners. McIlhenney scampered home on a double steal attempt to push the lead to 9-0.

D3baseball.com D-III World Series Record Book

World Series Record Book

This will be the 23rd D-III World Series D3baseball.com staff have attended to report on the action. Our record book will be updated as record are tied or broken during the week-long tournament.

The Warhawks broke the shutout in the top of the fourth. Eli Frank and Adam Cootway singled to begin the frame. After groundout, Andy Thies belted an RBI double off the wall in right. Sam Paden’s groundout scored another run to cut the margin to 9-2.

Misericordia added a run in the bottom of the fifth. Bunn led off with a single and went to second on Cordner’s second sacrifice bunt of the game. He advanced to third on a balk and came home on another balk for a 10-2 lead.

UW-Whitewater got three runs back in the top of the eighth. After an out, Cootway and Danny Hopper singled. Both came home to score on throwing errors. Thies drew a walk and scored on Sam Haden’s double to right to trim the deficit to 10-5.

The Cougars pulled Maryniak from the mound after that hit. He finished with two strikeouts and scattered 11 hits to get the win. Matt Lanzendorfer took over and retired the next two batters in order to end the threat. He dispatched UW-Whitewater in order in the ninth to close out the victory.

Jason Sanfilippo and the Misericordia offense had a lot to shout about, as they scored seven runs and brought 11 hitters to the plate in the first inning.
 Photo by Ryan Coleman, d3photography.com
 

“Watching that final out felt like slow motion to me,” Maryniak said. “I love these guys. This group is special and I wouldn’t want to do it with anybody else. It was a great experience.”

Earlier in Game 2, the Warhawks’ bats were hot in the 16-10 triumph to force Game 3.

Aaron Holland set the tone as he led off the bottom of the first with a home run. It was the first of five long balls UW-Whitewater swatted in the game. The team’s bats helped the Warhawks roll to a 12-1 lead through six innings.

Misericordia rallied for three runs in the seventh and four more in the eighth to trim the deficit to 12-8, but UW-Whitewater answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame and held on for the triumph.