The Misericordia University baseball team entered their first College World Series as the eighth overall seed out of eight teams, but did not play like it as they defeated the top-seed and fifth-ranked team in the country, Randolph-Macon, 4-2, in their first game, Friday afternoon at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin
The Cougars improve to 37-13, just two wins shy of a program record. They advance to the Pool A winner's bracket final where they will play Texas-Tyler, who defeated Oswego State earlier in the day.
Post-Game Interview
"A good ball game on our part, really our formula all year was pitching and defense," said Head Coach Pete Egbert. "I thought Ian [McCole] did a really nice job. He's a freshman, but he's a competitor, so we had no problem putting him out there. He pitched out of some tough spots and Kyle [Melahn] did the same."
Ian McCole threw six shutout innings, bending in and out of trouble all game, but not breaking, as he struck out three and allowed seven hits to earn the win. Kyle Melahn set a new school record with his eighth save of the season by throwing the final three innings as the two pitchers shut down the sixth-highest scoring team in the nation.
"I feel like everything was working, but whatever coach calls, execute the pitch and see what happens," said McCole. "Our defense played very well so just let it happen."
Conor Smith went 2-4 with two RBI and Kenny Jarema had two hits with an RBI and a run scored. Tyler Holzapfel had an RBI and Sean Lyons, Steve Weisensee and Santo Guinta all scored a run.
"My approach is just try to get my pitches, [Colin Selby] is one of the best pitchers in the country, so I just really tried to find anything that he could make mistakes on and I waited to find something he left over the plate for me," said Smith.
Just four days after scoring 23 runs on the final day of the Mid-Atlantic regional, Misericordia used timely hits and smart base running to muster enough runs against first-team ABCA All-American Colin Selby, the second All-American pitcher the Cougars have defeated in a week after defeating third-teamer Danny Serreino of Rowan last Friday.
After the Cougars went down in order in the first, McCole went out to the mound for the bottom half. He surrendered a leadoff double on a fly ball that landed just fair down the left field line, but got two straight groundouts and a strikeout to get out of the inning unscathed.
Weisensee hit a triple for the Cougars first hit of the game in the second inning but was stranded at third as the score remained scoreless.
In the bottom of the second, McCole got a strikeout and a groundout to begin the inning, but a walk, single and stolen base put runners on second and third. However, McCole got Zach Evans to swing through a fastball for strike three to end the inning.
Misericordia took the lead in the third as Lyons hit a chopper over the third baseman's head for a double to lead off the inning. After a sacrifice bunt from Sean Boylan, Jarema laid down a squeeze bunt to score the game's first run. Jarema advanced to second as the running throw from the third baseman was wide and went up the first base line. Holzapfel then knocked in Jarema with a pop-fly single to shallow left field that went off the shortstop's glove as he tried to make a running grab.
McCole kept working around baserunners in the third, fourth and fifth innings as he stranded four runners to keep the score at 2-0.
The Cougars added to their lead in the sixth. Weisensee walked and stole second to get into scoring position with two outs for Smith. The junior catcher delivered by hitting a grounder back up the middle that got past the diving shortstop to give the Cougars a 3-0 lead.
The Yellow Jackets threatened again in the sixth by putting runners on second and third with two outs, but McCole got out of the jam by inducing a fly out to Weisensee in right field.
Melahn came into pitch the seventh inning and allowed the first two batters to reach base, but like McCole, was able to work out of it by inducing a pop-up to shortstop, a fly out to center and a groundout to second.
Smith added an insurance run in the eighth as he drove a double to left field to drive in Guinta from first base, who had walked a batter earlier.
The Yellow Jackets put an unearned run on the board, but that was all Melahn allowed as stranded two runners on base to preserve a 4-1 lead.
In the ninth, Macon hit two singles to lead off the inning and bring the tying run to the plate, but two straight force outs at second put Melahn and the Cougars just one out away from victory. Cole Grinde hit a grounder to Holzapfel's right, but the sophomore made a diving play before firing a strike to Melahn covering the bag at first.
The Cougars guaranteed a game on Sunday with the win, but will first face the University of Texas at Tyler, tomorrow at 2:15 EST, in a battle between two 1-0 teams.
