Judson 12, Purdue-North Central 11 -
BoxWestville, Ind. – It took 10 innings and a game winning hit from Zach Scipione, but the Judson University Eagles battled through and won their first-ever CCAC Tournament Championship over Purdue-North Central, 12-11. The win gives Judson the at-large bid to the NAIA Region VII tournament which is also a program first.
Judson was down 11-10 heading into the bottom of the 10th inning when they rallied to claim the win. Scipione smacked home the game winning run to end the game and give Judson the win. This game was the elimination game as Judson fell to PNC yesterday. Judson finishes the tournament with a 3-1 record with a win over Olivet Nazarene and two wins over Purdue-North Central.
Scipione led Judson with a 3-of-6 performance with three RBI and two runs scored. Rafael Tejada, Jr., also went 2-of-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Kevin Fischer, Oscar DePablos, Scott Kainovic, Nate Haberkorn, and Jacob Bostwick all had one RBI.
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Coach Benjamin and pitcher Trent Golz after the win over Purdue-North Central. |
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Zach Scipione's game winning hit in the bottom of the 10th inning. |
Soto picked up the win with just an inning of relief. Juan P. DeArmas also pitched 0.2 innings in the win. Trent Golz pitched eight of the 10 innings and had six strikeouts while giving up just four earned runs.
PNC started the game off with one-run in the first inning but saw Judson score two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Three straight hits started off the inning as Scipione doubled to left center field and then advanced to third on Tejada's single. Kainovic followed Tejada with a double down the left field line to bring home Scipione to tie the game at one. Two batters later, Haberkorn grounded out but it scored Tejada from third base for the second run of the game.
Following Judson's two runs, PNC added three in the top of the third inning for a 4-2 lead. Their two-run lead did not last long, again, as Judson's offense batted in seven runs in the bottom of the inning for a 9-4 advantage.
With the bases loaded, Scipione hit his second double of the game to bring home Oscar DePablos and Fischer. Those two runs tied the game at four. Tejada made it 7-4 with his second home run of the year to break open the game. Two batters later, Roger Lugo doubled and then he came home when Bostwick reached base on a throwing error. Fischer stepped up to the plate and lifted a triple to right center field to score the seventh run of the game to make it 9-4.
After five scoreless innings, PNC's offense awake with six runs in the top of the ninth inning to retake the lead, 10-9.
DePablos started off the bottom of the ninth by reaching base on a PNC error. Brett Ehrlich then singled to advance DePablos to second. DePablos then reached third base on a fielder's choice and came home to tie the game when Tejada had his third hit of the game.
In the top of the 10th inning, PNC picked up the go-ahead run when Pierce was walked with the bases loaded. With the bases loaded and two outs, DeArmas proceeded to get Dickerson to foul out to end the inning and the threat.
Down one run heading into the bottom of the 10th inning, Judson rallied to take the win scoring two runs. Golz started off the inning with a walk and then made it to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bostwick. Golz advanced to third on a throwing error that allowed Fischer to reach base. CCAC Freshman of the Year DePablos then singled in the tying run with a hit up the middle. After an intentional walk to Ehrlich, Scipione singled up the middle to end the game and give Judson the win.
Judson will now wait and see who they will play in the NAIA Region VII Tournament that starts on Tuesday, May 6th, in Joliet, Illinois. Judson is now 18-23 on the season.
This season has been an exciting one for Judson baseball. After starting off 1-13, they fired back with a nine-game winning streak to tie the school record for consecutive wins and improve their record to 10-13. While playing in Florida, freshman Oscar DePablos broke the school record for hits in a game as he went 6-for-6 in the first win of the season over then #24 Dickinson State. That win was also Coach Benjamin's first as a head coach. Judson also picked up their first-ever win in the program over St. Xavier and also gave CCAC Champion and #13 St. Francis their first CCAC loss of the season. They also tied the school record for CCAC wins in a season. Judson played two NCAA Division I programs in the University of Illinois and Valparaiso University and was the first team to play on the University of Illinois' new baseball surface. With the conference tournament championship as a first, Judson now also will advance to their first-ever NAIA Region VII Tournament.
NOTES: This is the 6th CCAC Championship that Judson has won this season...Judson swept the championships in men's soccer and men's basketball and won tournament titles in women's soccer and baseball...This is the most championship won in a year at Judson by athletic teams...The six championships are the most by any CCAC school...ONU has won five and has a chance for six if they claim the softball tournament championship with two of their championships in cross country in which Judson will not have as a sport unitl the 2008-09 season.
