RECORDS: Cleary University (23-29-1) | UC Clermont (27-17)
LOCATION: East Field Park in Glens Falls, NY
IN BRIEF: After dropping their first game of the 2017 Small College World Series, Cleary University has won their fourth consecutive game of the series to advance to the elimination bracket final. Today, they defeated #1 ranked UC Clermont 11-6.
HOW THEY SCORED: Cleary University jumped on top of UC Clermont in the top of the second inning, scoring four runs on three hits, with the assistance of two errors. John Malbone led off the inning with a double to left center. Malbone advanced to third as Mickey Montpas reached first on an error. The second error of the inning put Briton Ott on base and scored Malbone. William Lovell followed it up with a single, driving in two more runs. John Grable would later single to score Lovell.
UC Clermont got back two from Cleary in the bottom half of the third. Caleb Rudisell walked to start the inning and Nathan Gambill reached first on an error by the third baseman. Both runners advanced to scoring position on a Kori Embs groundout to shortstop. With two outs, Jake Murray singled to center to drive in both runs to make the game 4-2 in favor of Cleary.
Cleary extended their lead to 7-2 in the fourth, scoring three runs on two hits. After Nick King was entered to pitch for Clermont, Nick Hoogerhyde singled to center. Grable reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to third as Reid Beffrey reached on an error. Jordan Hadley then walked to load the bases for the Cougars. King issued his second consecutive walk to Malbone to score the first run of the inning. Montpas then singled to score a run and Lovell took the third walk of the inning to push past the seventh run for Cleary.
Cleary pushed forward another run in the top of the fifth. With one out, Grable took a walk and advanced to second on a Beffrey single to right field. After Malbone was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Montpas walked to score the run.
Down 8-2, UC Clermont began to mount their comeback in the bottom of the fifth. Jonathon Deifel started the inning with a walk. After a fly-out by Murray, King blasted a two-run homer to left. The Cougars of UCC added two more in the sixth on a two out rally. Gambill began the rally with a single to left. Embs followed with another single before Deifel was walked to load the bases. Following a pitching change, Murray hit a two-RBI single to score Embs and Gambill and reducing the Cleary lead to 8-6.
Cleary added three insurance runs on their own two out rally in the top of the seventh. Malbone, Montpas, and Ott each reached base on walks. Lovell had an RBI single and then two additional runs scored on a Luke Bunting bunt that was overthrown on the play to first.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE: UC Clermont gave up four errors in the first two innings, contributing to the four run second. The two teams combined for 17 hits, with a one hit edge going to Cleary.
Standouts for Cleary included Malbone who was 2 for 2, Montpas who was 2 for 3, and Lovell who was 2 for 3. Badih Jawad earned the win for the Cleary Cougars going 4.2 innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out two.
NEXT UP: Cleary University moves to the elimination bracket final of the USCAA Small College World Series and will play College of St. Joseph's VT at 11:00am EST on Thursday. The winner moves on to play the Apprentice School who have advanced to the Small College World Series championship game. The first title game will be played at 2:30pm. Should Apprentice lose, the final championship game will be played at approximately 5:30pm.
