West Chester baseball punches ticket to Division II championship final with win over UT Tyler
The Rams battled back from a three-run deficit by scoring four runs in the top of the eighth to beat UT Tyler, 6-5. The national championship series is set to begin either Thursday or Friday.
CARY, N.C. — West Chester baseball coasted to wins in its first two games at the Division II championship in Cary, N.C. by scoring five runs in the first inning.
On Wednesday, the Rams showed they’re also equipped to handle a little adversity and stage a late-inning rally.
Coach Mike LaRosa’s top-seeded Rams battled back from a three-run deficit by scoring four runs in the top of the eighth to beat UT Tyler for the second time in the double-elimination tournament. The 6-5 victory at the USA Baseball National Training Complex advances West Chester to the national championship series, which will begin either Thursday or Friday depending on the outcome of Wednesday’s second semifinal game between two-time defending national champion Tampa and Catawba.
“This is nothing new for us,” said second baseman Patrick Gozdan, whose two-run single in the eighth fueled the comeback. “We’ve had so many walkoffs, so many comebacks. This group just never gives up and this game is another testament to that.”
UT Tyler (50-14) jumped ahead in the seventh when designated hitter Kaston Mason launched reliever Drew Simpson’s first pitch off the scoreboard in right center field for a three-run homer that broke a 2-2 tie.
It marked the first time the Rams (47-10) have trailed after the second inning since their 2-1 loss to Millersville in the PSAC championship on May 9.
But instead of being rattled, West Chester bounced right back.
After being handcuffed all day by left-hander Dylan Blomquist, who allowed only two hits through the first seven innings, Caleb Strawhecker and Austin Stalker finally broke through with consecutive singles to start a decisive eighth inning rally. Hunter Smith then drew a walk to knock Blomquist out of the game after an impressive 130-pitch outing.
» READ MORE: As West Chester chases a Division II baseball title, it leans on ‘heart and soul,’ Timmy Hoge
Gozdan greeted reliever Jacob Haddon with a two-run single that put WCU up, 5-4, before Tanner Donati walked to load the bases again and summon another fresh arm from the bullpen. But the pitching change didn’t help. Andrew Kell walked to bring home the tying run and Harry Middlebrooks lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score what turned out to be the game-winner.
“Our main goal most of the time, no matter who we face, is to get into their bullpen, see different guys and have tough at bats,” Middlebrooks said, adding that his approach with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth was to “get something in the air deep enough for somebody to score.”
Middlebrooks, a junior third baseman, came into the Division II championship hitting only .212 with eight RBIs in 33 at bats. But pressed into service because of an injury, he has come up big in Cary, going 4-for-11 in three games. He had a role in both scoring innings, getting hit by a pitch during the Rams’ two-run second.
He wasn’t the only unlikely hero on Wednesday.
A surprise starter in place of regular right fielder, Kell — who is hitting just .196 — contributed a single, scored a run, and walked twice.
“This is just a team through and through,” LaRosa said. “It’s fun to watch. You write a new lineup and you’re anxious to see what’s going to happen. It just seems like those guys just keep coming up and coming through. To be a championship team you need everybody.”