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Rensselaer 9, Ohio Wesleyan 6
May 15, 2008
![[ Joey McDaniel ]](../images/jmcdani3.jpg)
Senior outfielder Joey McDaniel (Dublin/Scioto) and sophomore third baseman Eric McComas (Beverly Hills, Mich,/Birmingham Groves) delivered 2-run hits during a 6-run fifth inning that gave Ohio Wesleyan a 6-1 lead, but Rensselaer scored the next 8 runs to take a win in Game 8 of the NCAA Division III New York Regional tournament on Thursday in Auburn, N.Y.
Ohio Wesleyan will face Eastern Connecticut State in an elimination game at 1:15 p.m. on Friday, while Rensselaer will take on Cortland (N.Y.) State in the winner's bracket final at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
The Red Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the fourth as Patrick Reardon led off with a walk, Camden Mamigonian followed with an infield single and Ken Carroll laid down a textbook bunt single to fill the bases before Dan Stroud lofted a fly ball to center to score Reardon. Senior righthander Xander Jones (Pomfret, Conn./Pomfret School) bounced back to retire Stevan Slusher on a foul pop-up and induced a ground out by Matt Muscatiello to get out of the inning without any further damage.
Ohio Wesleyan threatened to break the game open in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, freshman outfielder Scott Wise (Delaware/Hayes) was hit by a pitch. Sophomore catcher Steve Ruygrok (Centennial, Colo./Cherry Creek) followed with a single and senior second baseman Jerrell Johnson (Shaker Heights) walked to load the bases. McDaniel followed with a single to score Wise and Ruygrok, who slid under the tag of Rensselaer catcher Slusher for a 2-1 Bishop lead. After Johnson stole third and McDaniel stole second, freshman outfielder Zach Frentsos (Delaware/Hayes) walked to reload the bases and junior shortstop Logan Hronis (Rocky River/St. Edward) delivered a sacrifice fly to plate Johnson. Senior outfielder Brent Wilkins (Fairview Park/Fairview) followed with a single up the middle, scoring McDaniel, and McComas capped the inning with a double down the rightfield line, knocking home Frentsos and Hronis and knocking out Red Hawk ace Joe Zongol.
Rensselaer wasted no time in responding, as the first 4 Red Hawk batters collected hits in the top of the sixth. Stroud led off with a smash that a diving McComas knocked down but could not corral, then Slusher and Muscatiello lashed hits through the left side before Sean Wilkes doubled down the leftfield line to score 2 runs. Jones bounced back to retire Jim Devine on an infield out, with Muscatiello scoring on the play to bring Rensselaer within 6-4, and got the second out when Dan Valentine grounded to McComas, who threw to the plate to trap Wilkes in a rundown for the second out. Reardon doubled home Valentine to make it a 6-5 game before Jones fanned Mamigonian to end the inning.
The Red Hawks tied the game in the seventh as Stroud drew a 1-out walk, chasing Jones. Slusher singled to center, sending Stroud to third, with Slusher taking second on the throw, and Muscatiello followed with a fly ball to left that Frentsos dropped, scoring Stroud.
Carroll provided the deciding margin in the eighth with a 3-run homer to right center, scoring Reardon and Mamigonian, who had drawn 1-out walks.
Sophomore righthander Matthew Struble (Defiance/Edon), who relieved Jones in the seventh, was charged with the loss.
Tyler Agneta, who got the last out for the Red Hawks in the Bishop fifth and allowed only 1 baserunner in 4.1 innings of hitless relief, was credited with the win.
