Surviving and advancing has become the name of the game in Eastlake, Ohio.
No. 2 seed Rowan (38-6) bounced back in a big way on Saturday, knocking out the 3 seed Salisbury (37-11) Sea Gulls, 8-3, in the elimination bracket of the Division III Baseball Championship at Classic Auto Group Park. The Profs picked up win 38, matching their most in a season under head coach Mike Dickson.
“Salisbury had a late game, we had a late game, we wanted to try and get on the board early and create a little pressure,” Dickson said. “I thought we played a little bit more relaxed today.”
The last time Austin Kreyenhagen started an elimination game in the Division III Baseball Championship was June 1 of last year against Denison, completing the entire game, and allowing only one run.
Same scenario, same success for Kreyenhagen on Saturday as the sophomore threw 111 pitches, struck out eight, and gave up one run in six innings of action. After a shaky top of the third that saw the bases jammed with Sea Gulls, Kreyenhagen responded by ending the next three innings with strikeouts.
“Especially after that third inning, it got a little rough,” Kreyenhagen said. “Just coming back and battling back and getting those last two strikeouts at the end [of the fourth and fifth] were big for me.”
While Adrian’s sixth inning rally forced Rowan into the elimination bracket a day prior, the Profs had theirs in a five-run bottom of the fifth against Salisbury.
“I mean, every time this team gets punched in the mouth, we always find a way to respond,” first baseman Nick Struble said. “Part of that is us just coming together and realizing that we have each other’s back every day.”
As the Profs led, 3-1, Struble, who had an RBI single in the bottom of the first, drove in another to turn the gears in Rowan’s run machine. The senior had himself a day, generating a game-high three base knocks and tallying two RBIs to his name.
“A big part of my game is to not think as much to be honest with you,” Struble said. “I just happen to get in my head sometimes, so I try to go up there and play free and play easy.”
One pitching change later and with the bases loaded, what followed was a wild pitch from reliever Jack Rucker that scored senior Ian Murphy, and freshman Brett Chiesa reaching home plate on an error to make it, 5-1.
Mason Dorsey, moments after hitting a foul ball down the third base line, stepped up again and hit a two-run blooper into right center. Just like that, an, 8-1, advantage for Rowan.
“Honestly, it was a foul ball, I tried to sell it,” Dorsey said. “Coach called an offensive timeout and kind of fired me up and said, ‘Dude, [are you] going to be a dog? Like, go get these guys in.’ So, [that] kind of fired me up going into that at-bat. It gave me more confidence and knowing the guys in the dugout have my back too.”
The brown and gold knew it was their night when their All-American infielder was back to form. Brayden Davis’ third inning home run was his fifth in seven NCAA tournament games. The junior now has 16 home runs and 86 RBIs — the most a Prof has ever had in a season.
Rowan must continue to win if they are to keep their national title hopes alive. Sunday will not only be game three for the Profs in Eastlake, it’s a 3 p.m. rematch with the No. 7 seed Adrian Bulldogs, the team that beat them, 10-1, in Friday’s opener.
“We still have a ways to go… tomorrow’s a new day and we got to keep on building off of this win,” Dickson said. “The team that comes out tomorrow and executes is the team that’s going to win.”
For comments/questions about this story, DM us on Instagram @thewhitatrowan or email [email protected]
