RECORDS: College of St. Joseph's VT (27-22) | The Apprentice School (29-17)
LOCATION: East Field Park in Glens Falls, NY
IN BRIEF: College of St. Joseph's VT keeps their hopes alive for back to back National Championships, defeating The Apprentice School 11-3 in game one of the USCAA Baseball Small College World Series.
HOW THEY SCORED: The Apprentice School opened the scoring in the contest, pushing through three runs in the bottom half of the second inning. Steve Hux started the inning with a single to left field and advanced to second on a passed ball. Mike Brumfield, who had the game one win versus Cleary University, walked in the next at bat. Darius Harris hit a soft ground ball but reached first on a fielder's choice that put away Brumfield at second. Dalton Dye walked on four straight pitches by Nicholas Burch to load the bases. Ryan Cummings entered the game to pitch to Thomas Richardson, who hit a chopper to first base. Saints' first baseman Petar Ramora threw a low ball to catcher Colin McCleod who was unable to handle the ball as Dye slid into home. The ball rolled to the screen as both Harris and Hux came around to score, making the game 3-0 in favor of The Apprentice School.
College of St. Joseph's answered the Builders two innings later, capitalizing on two Builder errors to score three runs on just two hits. With one out, John Loschiavo reached first on an error by the Apprentice second baseman. Nick Rodriguez doubled to bring home their first run. Then, Jared Morello singled to center to score Rodriguez. The third run of the inning came as pinch hitter Brian Quezada reached on an error by the Builder's third baseman to score Morello.
The Fighting Saints blew the game wide open in the top half of the sixth as Tommy Grant singled and advanced to second on a throwing error. Derek Edge hit an RBI single to left, advancing Jesus Salcedo. Loschiavo reached base again with a bunt single to load the bases before Rodriguez would add his second hit of the day, knocking in two runs. Morello added two more RBIs on a sharp line drive single to center, taking the score to 8-3 in the Fighting Saints' favor.
College of St. Joseph's added three more in the seventh on the backs of Nick Powers, McCleod, Loschiavo, and Rodriguez. Powers led off with a single to center. McCleod singled to left field, scoring Powers who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Grant. With two outs, Loschiavo tripled to left to score Salcedo and Rodriguez doubled to right to push home Loschiavo. The Apprentice School would add a run in the ninth to make the final 11-4.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE: College of St. Joseph's shortstop, Nick Rodriguez was 4 for 6 in the game with two doubles and four RBIs. Morello, Grant, McCleod, and Loschiavo each added two hits for the Saints. Russ Krebs, who relieved Burch, threw five innings allowing only three hits and one run.
NEXT UP: We move to game two of the USCAA Baseball Small College World Series championship. The winner will be crowned National Champions. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10pm.
