Game 11 - May 30, 1999
Story | Boxscore | Play-by-Play
Salem, Virginia - North Carolina Wesleyan College overcame a 5-0 deficit to register a 6-5 win in 10 innings over St. Thomas College in the 1999 NCAA Division III Baseball Championships. Nick Buonocore drove in the game-winning run with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning, scoring Jeremy Stewart. Stewart got on board with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifce bunt by David Capobianco. Barry Blake was intentionally walked, setting up Buonocore's game-winning base hit to right field.
"It was obviousy the biggest hit of my career," said Buonocore. "I saw the pitch low and away, swung for it, and made good contact."
St. Thomas scored twice in the second inning courtesy of runs by Rich Swenson and Paul Rafferty. The Tommies plated three more runs in the fifth inning as well to take a 5-0 lead before NC Wesleyan got on the board. The Bishops belted out six consecutive hits in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs.
Blake attempted a squeeze play in stealing home from third, but was tagged out by St. Thomas catcher Dan Novak to end the inning. Stewart knotted the score at 5-5 in the seventh inning on a solo homer with one out.
NC Wesleyan Coach Charlie Long discussed his pregame address to the team, and spoke of the excitement of playing for the national title. "I told my team that we were going to be playing for the national championship and we all believed in that," said Long. "I really think the character of our kids came through tonight. I'm not sure if these guys feel any pressure, because if they do they sure have a funny way of showing it."
Stewart went 3-5 with the homer, an RBI, and three runs for N.C. Wesleyan. Andy Jones went 3-5 with a run. The Tommies were led by Swenson, the only player with multiple base hits. Swenson went 2-5 with a double, a triple, two RBI, and two runs.
Relief pitcher Buddy Hernandez picked up the win for the Bishops. Hernandez (4-0) went went four innings, allowing just two hits, fanning three, and walking three. Adam Iten was credited with the loss, pitching a third of an inning in relief, and is now 1-1.
St. Thomas starting pitcher Brian Toov went 3.2 innings with three strikeouts and a pair of walks. NC Wesleyan starter James Pitney went 4.1 innings with five walks.
St. Thomas (41-6) will face Cal Lutheran (35-13) at 3:30 p.m. Monday. North Carolina Wesleyan (40-9) faces William Paterson (31-13) Monday at 7 p.m.
Story | Boxscore | Play-by-Play
St Thomas 5 Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Ryan Hartung dh........... 4 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 Jake Mauer 2b............. 2 0 0 0 2 0 3 2 Matt Faulken rf........... 5 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 Rich Swenson cf........... 5 2 2 2 0 0 3 0 Dan Novak c............... 4 0 1 1 0 0 6 1 Ryan Benson pr............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tom Wilberg c............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Paul Rafferty 1b.......... 4 1 1 1 1 0 11 0 Steve Aronson 3b.......... 2 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 Scott Christiansen lf..... 5 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 Jon Guion ss.............. 4 0 1 0 1 1 2 5 Brian Toov p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Ryan Nelson p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mike Honsa p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Adam Iten p............... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals.................... 35 5 8 5 9 3 28 12 NC Wesleyan 6 Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Scott Robeson cf.......... 4 1 1 0 1 2 7 0 Andy Jones 2b............. 5 1 3 0 0 0 3 4 Jeremy Stewart 3b......... 5 3 3 1 0 0 0 1 David Capobianco 1b....... 4 1 1 1 0 0 6 2 Barry Blake ss............ 3 0 1 1 2 0 5 1 Nick Buonocore dh......... 5 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 Taylor Williams lf........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Tim Wright rf............. 4 0 0 0 0 2 3 0 Brian Woolston c.......... 4 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 Jim Pitney p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Jon Rardin p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Buddy Hernandez p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals.................... 37 6 11 5 3 6 30 10 Score by innings: R H E ----------------------------------------------- St Thomas 020 030 000 0 - 5 8 4 NC Wesleyan 000 040 100 1 - 6 11 2 ----------------------------------------------- Note: 1 out, 2 runner(s) LOB when the game ended. E - Rafferty; Guion 2; Toov; Blake 2. DP - St Thomas 1. LOB - St Thomas 13; NC Wesleyan 8. 2B - Swenson; Novak; Christiansen. 3B - Swenson. HR - J Stewart. SB - T Williams. CS - Mauer; Blake. SH - Mauer 2; Novak; Aronson; Capobianco; T Williams. St Thomas IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Brian Toov.......... 3.2 2 0 0 2 3 14 17 Ryan Nelson......... 0.1 6 4 4 0 1 7 7 Mike Honsa.......... 5.0 1 1 1 0 2 14 14 Adam Iten........... 0.1 2 1 1 1 0 2 4 NC Wesleyan IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Jim Pitney.......... 4.1 3 5 3 5 0 15 22 Jon Rardin.......... 1.2 3 0 0 1 0 7 9 Buddy Hernandez..... 4.0 2 0 0 3 3 13 17 Win - Hernandez 4-0. Loss - Iten 1-1. Save - None. WP - Pitney. PB - Novak. Umpires - Home:Reilly 1st:Deshaies 2nd:Thomas 3rd:Shelton Start: 7:05 Time: 3:10 Attendance: 376 R Nelson faced 6 batters in the 5th. Rardin faced 2 batters in the 7th.
Story | Boxscore | Play-by-Play
Score by innings: R H E ----------------------------------------------- St Thomas 020 030 000 0 - 5 8 4 NC Wesleyan 000 040 100 1 - 6 11 2 ----------------------------------------------- St Thomas inning 1 Hartung grounded out to 2b. Mauer walked. Mauer out at second c to ss, caught stealing. Faulken flied out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 1 Robeson walked. A Jones singled to center field; Robeson advanced to second. J Stewart flied out to cf. Capobianco reached on a fielder's choice; A Jones advanced to second on an error by 1b; Robeson advanced to third, out at home ss to c. Capobianco advanced to second; A Jones advanced to third on an error by p. Blake walked. Buonocore reached on a fielder's choice; Blake out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 2 errors, 3 LOB. St Thomas inning 2 Swenson reached on an error by ss. Swenson advanced to second on a wild pitch. Novak flied out to cf; Swenson advanced to third. Rafferty singled to right field, RBI; Swenson scored, unearned. Aronson grounded out to p unassisted, SAC; Rafferty advanced to second. Christiansen doubled to center field, RBI; Rafferty scored, unearned. Guion walked. Hartung flied out to rf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 2 T Williams reached on an error by ss. T Wright flied out to cf. T Williams stole second. Woolston struck out swinging. Robeson struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. St Thomas inning 3 Mauer flied out to cf. Faulken grounded out to 2b. Swenson grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 3 A Jones singled to right field. J Stewart flied out to cf. Capobianco popped up to 1b. Blake flied out to lf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. St Thomas inning 4 Novak reached on an error by ss. Rafferty popped up to 1b. Aronson walked; Novak advanced to second. Christiansen popped up to ss. Guion reached on a fielder's choice; Aronson out at second 3b to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 4 Buonocore reached on an error by ss. T Williams grounded out to p, SAC; Buonocore advanced to second. T Wright struck out swinging. R Nelson to p for Toov. Buonocore advanced to third on a passed ball. Woolston struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. St Thomas inning 5 Hartung walked. Mauer grounded out to p, SAC; Hartung advanced to second. Faulken walked. Swenson tripled to center field, 2 RBI; Faulken scored; Hartung scored. Rardin to p for Pitney. Novak grounded out to 2b unassisted, SAC, RBI; Swenson scored. Rafferty flied out to lf. 3 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 5 Robeson singled to right field. A Jones singled to left field; Robeson advanced to second. J Stewart singled to left field; A Jones advanced to second; Robeson advanced to third. Capobianco singled to center field, RBI; J Stewart advanced to second; A Jones advanced to third; Robeson scored. Blake singled to center field, RBI; Capobianco advanced to second; J Stewart advanced to third; A Jones scored. Buonocore singled to center field, RBI; Blake advanced to second; Capobianco advanced to third; J Stewart scored. Honsa to p for R Nelson. T Williams grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Buonocore out on the play; Blake advanced to third; Capobianco scored. Blake out at home p to c, caught stealing. 4 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. St Thomas inning 6 Aronson walked. Christiansen reached on a fielder's choice; Aronson out at second 2b to ss. Guion singled to left field; Christiansen advanced to second. Hartung flied out to rf. Mauer flied out to rf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 6 T Wright struck out swinging. Woolston flied out to rf. Robeson popped up to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. St Thomas inning 7 Faulken singled to shortstop. Swenson doubled to left field; Faulken advanced to third. Hernandez to p for Rardin. Novak flied out to cf. Rafferty intentionally walked. Aronson struck out swinging. Christiansen struck out swinging. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 7 A Jones grounded out to ss. J Stewart homered to left field, RBI. Capobianco grounded out to ss. Blake popped up to ss. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. St Thomas inning 8 Guion struck out looking. Hartung singled to center field. Mauer out at first 1b to 2b, SAC; Hartung advanced to second. Faulken flied out to cf. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 8 Buonocore grounded out to 3b. T Williams popped up to 2b. T Wright grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. St Thomas inning 9 Swenson grounded out to 2b. Novak doubled to center field. Benson pinch ran for Novak. Rafferty flied out to cf; Benson advanced to third. Aronson out at first 1b to p. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 9 Wilberg to c for Benson. Woolston popped up to 1b. Robeson struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b. A Jones flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. St Thomas inning 10 Christiansen flied out to cf. Guion popped up to ss. Hartung walked. Mauer walked; Hartung advanced to second. Faulken lined out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. NC Wesleyan inning 10 Iten to p for Honsa. J Stewart singled to shortstop. Capobianco grounded out to 1b unassisted, SAC; J Stewart advanced to second. Blake intentionally walked. Buonocore singled to right field, RBI; Blake advanced to second; J Stewart scored. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Updated Sept 2003