(TERRE HAUTE, Ind.) - The sixth-seeded Thomas More College baseball team gave Head Coach Jeff Hetzer a big birthday present today (Wednesday, May 15, 2013) as the Saints defeated third-seeded College of Wooster, 20-4, in an opening round game of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament's Mideast Regional hosted by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology at Art Nehf Field in Terre Haute, Indiana.

With the win, the Saints improve to 30-14 and advance to the winner of the later game tonight between second-seeded Marietta College and seventh-seeded Penn State University - Behrend College tomorrow night at 7:45 p.m. in a winner's bracket game. With the loss, the Fighting Scots fall to 32-11 and will play the loser of the Marietta - Penn State - Behrend game in an elimination game tomorrow at 1:15 p.m.

Thomas More took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first innings when junior center fielder Cody Makin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) hit a two-run home run to right field scoring senior right fielder Ryan Darner (Burlington, Ky./Covington Catholic).

Wooster scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-2 lead. The Saints then scored twice in the bottom of the third innings to take a 4-3 lead when junior second baseman Jason Handley (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) hit a single and junior third baseman Tyler Graber (Plain City, Ohio/Alder) scored on a fielding error and then senior shortstop David Kennett (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) scored on a SAC fly by Darner.

In the fifth inning Thomas More increased the lead to 5-3 when Darner hit a run batted-in single scoring Kennett.

The Saints increased the lead to 12-3 in the top of sixth inning. Graber started the scoring with a RBI double scoring sophomore left fielder Nick Connor (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder). Handley had a RBI single plating Graber. Junior designated hitter Travis Miller (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) hit a two-run RBI single scoring Kennett and Handley. Connor then hit a three-run RBI double scoring Makin, Miller and sophomore first baseman Craig Hyson (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas).

The Fighting Scots cut the lead to 12-4 in the bottom of the sixth with a run.

Thomas More plated three runs in the top of the seventh inning to increase the lead to 15-4 as Makin hit a RBI double scoring Handley and Darner and then Miller hit a RBI single scoring Makin.

In the eighth inning Darner got hit by a pitch and Graber scored, senior pinch hitter Brandon Nutini (Edgewood, Ky./Covington Catholic) had a RBI walk scoring Kennett and then senior pinch hitter Brock Copeland (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights) had a SAC fly scoring Handley to extend the lead to 18-4.

Thomas More increased the lead to 20-4 in the top of the ninth as freshman pinch hitter Zach Fardo (Alexandria, Ky./Bishop Brossart) scored on an error then sophomore catcher Brad Popham (Edgewood, Ky./Dixie Heights) scored on a RBI single by Darner.

The Saints were led at the plate by Handley, who was four-for-five with two RBI and three runs scored. Five other Saints had multiple hits in the game as Makin was three-for-five with a home run, a double, four RBI and two runs scored, Darner was three-for-four with four RBI and two runs scored, Graber was three-for-five with a double, a RBI and three runs scored, Kennett was two-for-five with four runs scored and Miller was two-for-five with three RBI and a run scored.

On the mound, senior pitcher Paul Uhl (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) earned the win as he pitched seven innings and gave up four runs (all earned) on nine hits and struck out two. Freshman pitcher Chris Auer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) pitched a scoreless eighth inning and gave up a hit and senior pitcher Mike Hager (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) pitched a scoreless ninth and struck out one.