2014 NCAA Game 9
Seventh-seeded Wesleyan University defeated eighth-seeded Haverford College 6-3 in a Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional elimination game Saturday morning at PNC Field in Moosic, PA. The Fords advance and will play the winner of the Misericordia, Haverford game Saturday night at 7:45 PM.
Wesleyan’s Chris Law picked up the victory on the mound throwing 5.1 innings of scoreless relief, scattering just four hits while striking out four.
Law improved to 4-2 while Haverford’s starter Max Gerard took the loss and falls to 3-2.
The Cardinals were led offensively by Andrew Yin who went 3-4 at the dish with three RBI and two runs scored. Sam Goodwin-Boyd added two hits and two RBI, while Nick Micelli went 2-4 with a run scored.
Wesleyan got all the runs they needed in the third inning as the Cardinals took advantage of six hits, all singles and two Haverford errors to plate five runs.
After three consecutive singles to start the inning, pinch hitter Robby Harbinson hit a hard ground ball through the legs of the first baseman that allowed the first two runs of the game to score. Another error was committed on the play by the right field to allow Ellis Schaefer to score all the way from first.
Harbinson ended the play at second. A bunt single moved Harbinson to third and scored on a Donnie Cimino sacrifice fly. One of Goodwin-Boyd’s two hits would drive in the final run of the frame and give the Cardinals a 5-0 advantage.
Haverford fought back with three runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning. After a leadoff walk Nick Ott doubled to deep left center to score Casey Fox. Jared Deveau then singled to put runners on second and third which chased Wesleyan starter Jeff Blout from the hill.
Relief pitcher Peter Ranz allowed Fox to score on an error before getting a 6-4-3 double play to limit the damage but a George Hatamiya RBI single and a walk ended the day for Ranz. The Cardinals went to the bullpen for the second time in the inning where Law struck out the final batter of the inning.
Wesleyan tacked on an insurance run in their half of the 7th. Andrew Yin reached on a one out single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Goodwin-Boyd two out RBI single.
Haverford was led at the dish by Nick Miranda who went 2-5 and Nick Ott who added two hits, a run and an RBI.
The Fords end their season with a 23-20 record while Wesleyan improves to 29-12.
