DII/SIAC/Baseball
GAME 15: Albany State d. Stillman 9-5 (ASU wins 2015 title)
Entering Tuesday’s winner-take-all contest, the Tigers were seeking an eighth title in nine seasons. Tim Rogers (0-3) picked up the start on the mound for the Tigers. The starter tossed 4.0 innings with four strikeouts with five runs allowed – only three earned – on seven hits.
After a scoreless first inning, Albany State gets a one-out double before a ground ball up the middle by Arrington puts the Golden Rams on the board 1-0. With the bases loaded, ASU got an infield single to add another run in the inning.
Fernando Tanaka led off the second with a double off the left centerfield wall. With one out, Hank Parker delivered a sacrifice fly to centerfield allowing Tanaka to slide under the tag at the plate.
Albany State responded with one run in the third inning on a double to the left centerfield gap scoring the runner from first. A two-out error allowed another Golden Ram run to cross the plate for the 4-1 lead.
Lucas Bigler walked with one out and advanced to third with a single by Drew Burdsell that skipped over the second basemen. With runners on second and third Paul Winterbottom singled through the right side scoring two, cutting the lead to one run 4-3.
Albany State picked up a unearned run in the fourth inning, with Jonatan Galan adding the RBI-single to left to score Santos from third after he advanced two bases on a passed ball.
In the sixth inning Tanaka led off with an infield single, stole second base, and scored on a two-out single to left field by Nick Vitale to pull within one run, 5-4.
Albany State put a run on the board in the seventh inning to put the lead back to two runs, 6-4.
Albany State’s Daniel Stockdale (right) receives the Tournament Most Outstanding Coach award.
Bigler started the seventh inning with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Burdsell as the Golden Ram defense left third base uncovered. Winterbottom followed with an RBI-single to right to pull within one run, 6-5.
In the Albany State ninth the Golden Rams score three times on four hits to extend the advantage, 9-5. Albany State retired Stillman 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth for the SIAC Championship.
GAMES 13 $ 14: Stillman d. Miles 9-3; Stillman d. Albany State 6-3
Stillman College won a pair of games on Monday forcing one last game for the SIAC Championship. The Tigers defeated Miles in the consolation bracket final, 9-3, before defeating Albany State, 6-3, in the second game. Stillman will take the field in pursuit of the eight SIAC crown in nine seasons.
Pablo De Armas led off the first with a single up the middle before scoring on a Paul Winterbottom single to left. Winterbottom scored from second base when E.J. Perry went the opposite field to right for the RBI-single.
Armando Gonzalez (2-2) got the start and allowed one run in the home first inning, with Stillman holding the 2-1 lead.
Stillman plated three runs in the third inning on a bases-loaded double from Albert Rafael to right centerfield giving the Tigers the 5-1 advantage. Miles responded with a pair of runs, giving Stillman the 5-3 lead after four innings.
Hank Parker singled up the middle to score Nick Vitale in the top of the fifth before Rafael singled up the middle in the next at bat to score Perry from second base. Holding the 7-3 advantage with two on an one out, the Tigers chased the Miles starting pitcher.
De Armas reached on an eighth inning single and scored on a hard shot off the bat of Vitale. Winterbottom added another run when Fernando Tanaka singled up the middle with one out for a 9-3 lead – a score that would be the final for the game.
Gonzalez picked up the complete game victory for his second of the season – and second complete game – allowing seven hits while striking out five over 138 pitches. Winterbottom went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and one RBI; De Armas, Tanaka, Perry, and Rafael each added two-hit performances.
Hunter Hood (7-5) picked up the start in the second game of the day in a rematch versus Albany State after falling on Sunday to the Golden Rams, 5-2.
Back-to-back hits from Tanaka and Perry had runners on second and third in the second inning for Parker who delivered the RBI-single, scoring Tanaka and moving Perry to third with no outs. Rafael followed with a single to left field to score Perry. Parker and Rafael scored on a throwing error from the ASU shortstop with Drew Burdsell running down the line, Burdsell advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt that had the ball sail up the first base line. Winterbottom followed with an RBI-double to left center allowing Burdsell to score. Stillman took the 5-0 lead into the bottom of the second inning.
Albany State responded with one run in the home second, with Stillman holding the 5-1 advantage. ASU scored once more in the bottom of the third on a solo shot from the designated hitter Galan.
De Armas added a one-out double to left field in the fourth before stealing third base. Burdsell dropped the sacrifice bunt that was fielded by the pitcher, who tossed home for the tag on De Armas. Albany State plated one run in the bottom of the seventh, cutting the lead to 5-3, on a play at the plate with one out after the throw from right field was late.
Parker walked to start the eighth and advanced to third on a single from Rafael to deep right centerfield. Lucas Bigler hit a chopper over the third basemen into left field to score Parker, moving the score to 6-3.
Hood retired six of the final seven batters in the last two innings to pick up the complete game victory. Hood ended the game with six strikeouts and nine hits with all three runs allowed earned. Winterbottom, Perry, and Rafael all recorded two-hit games. Parker went 1-for-3 with two runs scored.
All-Tournament Team
Tuskegee Danny Barnes
Claflin Reginald Rogers
Benedict David White Jr.
Miles Justin Bartley
Miles Justin Langdale
Stillman Hunter Hood
Stillman Paul Winterbottom
Albany State DeMarkus Green
Albany State Reise McDaniel
Albany State Jonatan Galan (Most Valuable Player)