COLLEGEVILLE, MINN. – The 19th ranked University of St. Thomas Tommies outlasted a spirited York College comeback, 8-7, eliminating the Spartans from the Collegeville Regional on Saturday.
The Spartans trailed the entire game after St. Thomas put three on the board in the top of the first inning. York had a chance to tie in the eighth and ninth innings but left runners in scoring position at the end of each inning.
St. Thomas blasted four home runs in the game.
The Tommies improve to 31-7 and advance to the third day of the regional while the Spartans conclude their outstanding year with a mark of 28-10.
COLLEGEVILLE REGIONAL GAME #5
Hits: York 12, St. Thomas 11
Errors: York 2, St. Thomas 2
2B: York 1, St. Thomas 3
3B: York 0, St. Thomas 0
HR: York 0, St. Thomas 4
LOB: York 8, St. Thomas 8
WP: Duke Coborn (5-0) LP: Brandon Haggerty (10-1) Save: Davis Koester (5)
How it Happened
• The Tommies could not have gotten off to a better start as lead-off hitter Sam Kulesa blasted a 3-1 pitch over the wall in left center to give St. Thomas the 1-0 lead. Avery Lehman reached on an error and Jake Porter hit a two-run home to left center, giving St. Thomas a 3-0 lead just three batters into the game.
• York answered with two runs in the bottom of the first as Jayden Cowan singled to lead off the inning. After a flyout and a strikeout, Joe Capobianco singled up the middle to move Cowan to second. Jimmy Wiegers reached on an error to load the bases. Luke Turner then smoked a ground rule double to left center to score Cowan and Capobianco, cutting the Tommies lead to 3-2.
• St. Thomas made it 4-2 in the third as Charlie Bartholomew doubled down the third base line to score Porter who had singled earlier in the inning.
• The Tommies added a run in the fourth as Charlie Eldredge drilled a solo home run to left center, pushing the lead to 5-2.
• The teams traded runs in the sixth as the Tommie lead stood at 6-3 through the sixth.
• Eldredge hit his second home run of the game in the eighth as he snuck a line drive just over the wall in left as the St. Thomas lead grew to 7-3. The Spartans responded with their biggest inning of the tournament as they plated a trio of runs to make it very interesting. Jimmy Wiegers started the rally with an infield single. Turner, who had three hits in his previous three trips to the plate, was drilled by a pitch in the head to put runners at first and second with one out. Turner was forced to leave the game for York. Brandon White was then hit by another pitch to load the bases. Brett DeWees singled to center to drive home Wiegers for the first run of the inning. After a strikeout, Cowan laced a single up the middle for two runs. However, Cowan was cut down at second trying to move up 90 feet as the throw home was cut off and he was easily out at second. That play was huge as the Spartans should have had runners at the corners with Denlinger and Barry due up next for York.
• The Tommies picked up a huge insurance run in the top of the ninth as Lehman singled, stole second, moved to third on a ball to the backstop and scored on an RBI ground out from Bartholomew.
• The bottom of the ninth started with a great at-bat from Denlinger as he drew a lead off walk. He moved to second on a ground out and scored on a Capobianco single to right. Wiegers followed with a single to left as the Spartans had the tying run at second and the winning run at first with one out. Tommies closer TJ Constertina got a pop up and a strikeout to end the threat and end the Spartan campaign.
Spartan Leaders
Senior Luke Turner led the offense as he had three hits including a two run double to pace York in his final game in the Green and White … Turner finished the game with three RBI before leaving the game in the eighth as he was hit by a pitch … senior Joe Capobianco went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI … senior Jimmy Wiegers was 2-for-5 with a run scored … Jayden Cowan went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored … freshman Brett DeWees went 1-for-4 with an RBI in his first career NCAA Tournament game … senior Robert Chaney gave the Spartans 5.1 innings of work as he allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits … Chaney struck out two and walked one as he allowed three home runs in the game … Zach Reed pitched well in relief as he allowed a run on two hits with a strikeout in his 2.2 innings of work … Conor Miller competed his Spartan career with a run on a hit with a strikeout in one inning of work
Notes
The Spartans have now lost six straight NCAA Tournament games … the Spartans allowed a season-high four home runs in the game … York allowed double figures in hits for the third time in their last four games … York collected 12 hits and it's the 27th time this year they have had double digit hits in a game … the Spartans struck out 10 times, the tenth time this year they have double digit strikeouts … the Spartans finished 6-2 in one-run games with both losses coming in the NCAA Tournament … York finished the year 6-6 when their opponent scores first and 20-4 when they scored first … the Spartans lost for just the third time when recording more hits (21-3) then their opponents as York outhit St. Thomas 12-10 … York ended the season with a four-game losing streak, their only multiple game losing streak of the year … Jack Barry and Austin Denlinger finished the season tied for the new school record in single-season home runs with 19 while Denlinger set a new school record with total bases with 141 as he had 15 doubles, four triples and 19 bombs … senior Jimmy Wiegers finished the season hitting .400 with 33 runs scored and 29 RBI … Luke Turner tied his career high with three hits before he was forced to leave the game in the eighth.
Up Next
The Spartans concluded their first season in the MAC Commonwealth with a regular season and tournament championship. MAC Commonwealth Coach of the Year Mike Scappa will have a number of players to replace but will also welcome back the core of his offensive unit that had a very productive year.