After dropping their first game to Denison two days prior, Rowan baseball knocked off Trinity on Sunday, June 1, 13-2, in the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship. Their win knocks the Tigers out of the tournament while the Profs will live to play another day.

It also marks the first College World Series win for the program in 20 years. Rowan’s last came in 2005 when the Profs shut out Hampden-Sweeney with a 10-0 victory. 

“That’s an important win for us as a program and the university as well,” Head coach Mike Dickson said. “It’s great to get back on the winning side and for these guys to be able to get that feeling.”

Zach Coluccio pitched a complete game for the first time as a Prof. He gave up a two-RBI single to Trinity second baseman Khalfani Coney in the top of the second but didn’t allow one after that. Coluccio pitched eight shutdown innings with six strikeouts to put an end to the Tiger’s NCAA tournament journey. Coluccio’s complete game was also his longest outing this season. His longest prior happened back on April 24, where he went 8 2/3 innings against Rutgers-Newark.

“That’s the main thing; I’m just getting ahead of guys,” Coluccio said. “I know these guys [teammates] are going to put up runs so it’s about letting the defense work.”

It was also a career milestone day for catcher Karson Harcourt. Harcourt notched his 100th hit with his single in the eighth. The senior has been Rowan’s starting catcher since the 2024 season, and Dickson says he’s been a rock for his team behind home plate.

“I love that kid,” Dickson said. “Catcher is obviously the most important and difficult position on the field. Any offensive numbers he puts up are fantastic.”

Offensively things got off to a slow start for the Profs in this contest. Tiger’s starter Jake Beck gave up a leadoff single to Tyler Cannon in the top of the first but was able to retire the next 11 batters in a row. Three hitless innings followed as the presence of Rowan’s powerful bats wasn’t felt until the fourth inning.

That inning is where Jason Morgan answered his team’s call for help with a leadoff home run to right field. Morgan went 3-for-5 with five RBIs as he served as the spark plug that ignited the scoring parade that followed in the fourth. The Profs exploded for six runs to go up 6-2 over the Tigers.

“I was just looking for something like a drive,” Morgan said. “You don’t want to walk the leadoff guy, so just gearing up and taking my best swing because the goal is to always get on first base and celebrate if you get a little extra.”

Brayden Davis also hit his second home run of the College World Series in the fourth. He homered in Rowan’s first game on Friday, May 30, against Denison, marking back-to-back home run games for the sophomore third baseman.

The Profs scored five runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth as their dominance continued. In their first game matchup with Denison, the Profs left 11 runners on base en route to a 12-10 loss, as their three-run ninth inning wasn’t enough to push past the Big Red.

Davis, who says he felt he didn’t do enough to help his team win in that game, was happy with how he himself, and his team, were able to rebound in their win over Trinity.

“It’s a way better feeling when you come out on top, so I’m happy we did,” Davis said.

Rowan has a quick turnaround for the game 3 matchup with Denison with the first pitch set for 8 p.m. on the same day, Sunday, June 1. In yet another meeting with the Big Red this tournament, freshman Austin Kreyenhagen is set to take the mound in this elimination game for his first start this NCAA postseason. 

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