Eastlake, Ohio: No. 1 Denison was able to keep their historic season alive with a dominant 8-0 victory over Johns Hopkins. In the final game of the loser's bracket, the Big Red faced fellow Ohio foe, the Yellow Jackets of Baldwin Wallace. Baldwin Wallace was downed by East Texas Baptist in a tight 7-6 loss.
The Big Red survived the elimination bracket with a 6-4 win over the Yellow Jackets, marking their third win over the team this season. Denison advances into the final four where they will play East Texas Baptist. The Big Red will have to take down the Tigers twice to advance to the National Championship.
CWS Bracket 1 Game 5: No. 1 Denison 6, No. 5 Baldwin Wallace 4
Facing elimination for the second game in a row, senior All-American Robbie got the ball for the Big Red on the mound. The high octane Baldwin Wallace stung first, plating one run with two hits in the top of the first inning. Lee battled back and stranded two runners to send Denison to the plate.Â
The 1-0 Yellow Jacket lead was short lived, as the Big Red plated two runs in their first trip to the dish. Eron Vega reached by error and Jack Lutte knocked a base hit up the middle to put runners on the corners. Erik Sundgren roped a ground ball to second that traded an out for a run. Max Fishbein picked up a base hit before Jack Rollo laced a double down the left field line to take a 2-1 lead.
Baldwin Wallace was quick to respond in the top of the second. With two outs and runners at the corners, the Yellow Jacket star, Dennis Ritlinger-Nirider, spun a grounder in between the mound and third base which ended with a throwing error that scored two runners and a runner at third. Now down 3-2, Lee recorded the final out at the mound to escape the jam and limit damage.
After a scorless bottom of the second, Lee found his groove on the mound, retiring the Yellow Jackets 1-2-3 in the top of the third. Denison was able to knot things up at three all in the home half of the frame, as a backside single from Sundgren set up an RBI knock from Kelly Crittenberger.Â
In the top of the fourth, Lee continued his momentum in the top of the fourth, putting another zero on the scoreboard with a strikeout, a groundout, and a lineout to left. The dangerous Denison lineup broke things open in the bottom of the frame, plating three runs on five hits and an error. A Nate Lloyd single kicked off the inning before a sacrifice bunt from Cade Nowik put a runner in scoring position. Lloyd took third but was able to take the lead when the throw from behind home soared into left field. Now with the bases clear, Vega got things back rolling with a double down the right field line. Sundgren picked up another RBI with a base hit into left field. Fishbein scored the final run with a knock into right field that gave Denison a 6-3 lead.
Lee's penultimate inning was nothing short of spectacular. Facing the heart of the order, the senior recorded three looking strikeouts to hold tight to the Big Red lead. Denison was scoreless in the bottom of the frame.
The senior righty retired after two outs in the top of the sixth inning. Fellow senior Ryan Paganelis relieved for the third time in as many days this weekend. After getting a grounder to short to end the inning, Paganelis set the overall appearance record for a Big Red pitcher in a single season with 29 after tying the record yesterday.
The Yellow Jacket bullpen continued to keep the Big Red lineup at bay.with another zero in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the seventh, Rollo took over on the mound for Paganelis. Baldwin Wallace got its first base runner with a lead off hit by pitch before a pair of base hits plated the first run since the fourth inning to cut the Denison lead down to 6-4. With runners at first and second, BW's Carson Petrecca sent a rocket to shortstop which turned into a 6-4-3 double play to slam the door shut on the inning.
The Big Red and Yellow Jackets traded scoreless halves in the eighth inning. The Yellow Jackets were at their leadoff hitter with a chance to take the lead in the top of the ninth. Rollo kicked off the frame with a swinging strike three before a drawn walk put a runner at first. For the second time of the day, the Denison defense recorded a 6-4-3 double play to secure the win and keep the season alive.
Lee moved to 8-0 with the 5.2 inning performance. The righty sat down eight in the outing. Paganelis faced one batter in his 0.1 outing and set the single season appearance record. Rollo recorded the save with a 3.0 inning three strikeout performance.
At the dish, the Big Red tallied 14 hits and were led by Rollo with a 3-4 performance. Vega, Sundgren, Fishbein, and Crittenberger all recorded multiple hits in the win.
Up Next: Denison will face the Tigers of East Texas Baptist University tomorrow, Monday, June 1. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. with the if needed game scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m.
