ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A 3-0 deficit in the fourth inning wasn’t enough for the No. 6-ranked St. Thomas baseball team to call it quits Sunday, coming back to beat Rose-Hulman (Ind.) 9-3 in the NCAA Division-III Baseball regional championship.
The No. 6-ranked Tommies rallied on the shoulders of regional tournament MVP catcher J.D. Dorgan who tallied up a home run, two hits, two runs and two RBIs. Shortstop Brady Johnson had a game-high three hits, and Kevin Stroik and Tim Kuzniar both chipped in with two hits apiece.
Pitcher Colin Wendinger throws a pitch in the MIAC tournament. St. Thomas defeated Rose-Hulman 9-3 Sunday to advance to the Division-III College World Series. (Morgan Neu/TommieMedia)
The offensive surge helped Caleb Fernholz earn the victory after three and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief. Jimmy Danczyk tallied his tenth save after recording this final five outs of the game.
St. Thomas (37-7) is now 12-0 in May and 28-2 in the last 30 games.
The Tommies advance to this week’s eight-team College World Series in Appleton, Wis. They will play the first game of the tournament at 10 a.m. Friday against defending national champion and No. 2-ranked Linfield (Ore.).
Joey Anderson can be reached at ande9008@stthomas.edu.