Granville, Ohio: Following a 9-3 victory on Friday over Piedmont, the nation's No. 1 team was back on the diamond at Big Red Field with a chance to punch their ticket to Dension's second College World Series in a row. Despite heavy rain on the weekend, both teams were able to weather the storm as game two had its first pitch at 7:00 pm. The two teams delivered an instant classic at Big Red Field, but it was Denison that came out on top.Â
Denison was able to tie the NCAA Division III record for most consecutive wins with a 8-7 victory over the Lions and secured a Super Regional championship. The game was highlighted by Jack Rollo's performance on the mound and in the box. The junior lasted 4.0 on the mound to earn the win alongside a 3-4 performance in the box.
Heading to Cleveland, Denison boasts a 45-1 overall record. Piedmont closes their season with a 33-15 record.
Super Regional Game 2: No. 1 Denison 8, RV Piedmont 7
Following a 9-3 defeat on Friday morning, Piedmont pounced first on the Big Red, plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Playing as the away team on their home field, the Big Red wouldn't respond on the scoreboard until the top of the third.
In the away half of the frame, Andrew Fazio and Nate Lloyd drew walks before Cade Nowik moved the pair into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Back to the top of the order, Eron Vega recorded a sacrifice fly to score Fazio and notch the first run before Jack Lutte cleared the bases with a rocket to right field to tie it up at 2-2.
Senior Robbie Lee delivered a scoreless bottom of the third to keep the scoreboard knotted at two all. However, the Big Red took the lead in the top of the fourth courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Nate Lloyd. In the home half of the frame, the Lions loaded the bags and plated the tying run on Lee. Fellow senior Ryan Paganelis made his 26th appearance out of the bullpen for Denison. Rather than getting the out at the plate, Paganelis picked off the runner at second to close the inning, sending a spark of energy through the packed Big Red Field crowd.
In the top of the fifth, the Big Red were able to break the game open, tallying four runs on four hits. The inning started with two quick outs before Max Fishbein and Erik Sundgren rattled off back-to-back base hits to put runners on the base path. Jack Rollo cleared the bags with a rocket into right center for a double. Fazio and Lloyd followed up the double with RBI knocks to push the Denison lead to 7-3. Piedmont responded with a run of their own in the home half of the inning and forced a pitching change from Denison as Rollo moved from DH to the mound.
Vega led off the top of the sixth with another free pass on the bags. A knock from Lutte was followed by an RBI poke from Sundgren to push the Big Red lead to 8-4. Rollo fired a scoreless inning to keep the lead at four.
With the game stuck at 8-4, the Lions and the Big Red traded zeroes through the seventh and eighth innings. In the top of the ninth, Denison was able to get two runners on but the Lions stood tall and retired two Big Red batters to end the inning and send Piedmont into its final at bat.Â
The bottom of the ninth was nothing short of spectacular. The Lions laced two leadoff doubles to cut the Denison lead down to 8-5. Nowik, manning the hot corner, laid out to snag a line drive down the third baseline for the first out. Piedmont drew a walk which brought first-year Devin Parker out of the bullpen. In his first batter, the Lions knocked a basehit into left field to cut the Denison lead down to just two runs. With runners at the corners and the winning run at the plate, Piedmont rolled a groundball to Nowik that plated another run but also recorded the second out. The Lions were roaring, needing just one run to tie the game at eight all. However, Parker, with a 2-2 count, drew a groundball back to the mound for the third and final out to secure Denison's 44th straight win and punch their ticket to the College World Series.
On the mound, the quartet of Lee, Paganelis, Rollo, and Parker combined for four strikeouts. Rollo earned his second win of the season and Parker got his sixth save of the season.
In the box, Denison tallied 13 hits and were led by Rollo with three. Lutte, Fishbein, Kelly Crittenberger, and Lloyd all collected multiple hits. Rollo and Lloyd were the two players to record multiple RBIs. Fazio paced the team with two walks.
Up Next: The Big Red will be back in action next weekend in Eastlake, Ohio at the NCAA Division III World Series. Denison will join the other Super Regional champions where the eight teams will be re-seeded.
