EASTLAKE, Ohio — Upsetting No. 1 Denison University and breaking their 44-game win streak, No. 11 East Texas Baptist University opened the NCAA Division III Baseball College World Series with a 5-1 victory over the Big Red at the Classic Auto Group Stadium. ETBU had 11 hits, with four doubles, and strong pitching to advance in the winner's bracket.
"What an atmosphere and ballgame," said ETBU head coach
Jared Hood. "This was a dogfight and both teams played extremely well and we just happened to come out on top today."
Justin Flannery scored two runs, recording three hits, and had a RBI.
Kahne Nolen contributed with two hits, including a double, and drove in a run.
Connor Massimini added two hits and a double, as
Joaquin Costa also had two hits.
Jobee Boone and
Juan Ortigoza each had a RBI.
Isaac Thornton delivered a commanding performance on the mound, pitching 7 2/3 innings and allowing just one earned run on three hits while striking out seven for his 10
th win of the year. He retired the side in the third and fourth innings and eight in a row from the end of the second to the top of the fifth. He followed that by retiring eight more batters from the end of the fifth through the top of the eighth inning.
Conner Smeltzer closed out the game, pitching 1 1/3 innings with one strikeout, one walk, and one hit to earn his fourth save.
After two scoreless innings, ETBU took a 1-0 lead in third.
Carter Nannini walked and advanced to third following a single by Costa and a double steal. Boone brought Nannini home with a sacrifice fly, putting the Tigers ahead 1-0.
The eighth inning saw Flannery double to right-center before scoring on a double by Ortigoza, extending ETBU's lead to 2-0. Denison responded in the bottom of the inning with Jack Lutte scoring on a single by Max Fishbein, closing the gap to 2-1 through eight innings.
ETBU's offense surged in the ninth inning with three runs. Costa singled and later scored on a single by Flannery. Nolen then doubled down the right-field line, which scored Boone. That was followed by Flannery scoring on a balk, sealing the game at 5–1.
ETBU will face No. 10 Baldwin Wallace in the winner's bracket at 12:15 PM CST on Saturday.
ETBU Top Performers
Justin Flannery
- 2 runs
- 3 hits
- 2 stolen bases
Isaac Thornton
- 7 2/3 innings pitched
- 7 strikeouts
- 1 earned run
Kahne Nolen
- 2 hits
- 1 RBI
- 1 double
Conner Smeltzer
- 1 1/3 innings pitched
- 1 strikeout
- 1 save
