The NCAA News - News and Features

June 9, 1997

Cal State Chico makes most of opportunity to win II baseball title

Cal State Chico scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth and defeated Central Oklahoma, 13-12, to win the Division II Baseball Championship May 31 in Montgomery, Alabama.

The title is the first for the Wildcats, whose tournament record in three previous appearances was 2-6.

With the game tied, 11-11, in the top of the ninth inning, Central Oklahoma's Brandon Bagwell reached safely on a throwing error by shortstop Ryan Sasser. Bagwell stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Mark Baker. Jerrod Nelson then fisted a ball over the drawn-in infield to give the Bronchos a 12-11 lead.

Orin Hirschkorn led off Cal State Chico's half of the ninth with a single up the middle. Rocko Moreno, who pinch hit for Shane Howell, sacrificed pinch runner Tyrus Acoba to second. After pitcher Chad Shelton knocked down a line drive by Jason Kicherer and made the play for the second out, Sasser tied the game when his liner to right-center field just eluded the grasp of Greg Ireton, who was charged with an error. Pinch-hitter Bryan Burchit walked, which prompted Central Oklahoma coach Wendell Simmons to summon Michael Fox from the bullpen.

Brian Carlson capped the improbable finish by hitting a soft liner to shortstop, but the ball caromed off Bagwell's glove into short left field for an error, allowing Burchit to race home with the winning run.

"To lose the national championship in that way is a disappointment that I can't begin to describe," Simmons said. "We battled to the end and it looked like we had it in our grasp and it just got away from us.

"But nobody expected us to even get close to this level and this loss can't take away from the season we had and the things this team accomplished."

Central Oklahoma jumped on the board with five runs in the first inning. Pat Koerner slashed an RBI single to left, followed by two-out, two-run doubles by Anthony Cellers and Bagwell.

Cal State Chico countered in the bottom half of the first with five runs of its own, and then tacked on four more in the second.

The Bronchos cut the lead to 9-6 in the third when Cellers hit a solo home run to left, and then cut the deficit to 9-8 in the fourth as Jarred McAlvain had an RBI single and Cellers a sacrifice fly.

Cal State Chico came back with one run in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead, 10-8, but Central Oklahoma tied the game in the fifth with a sacrifice fly by Ryan Haley. The Wildcats answered with one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead, 11-10.

Ireton then tied the game in the eighth when he blasted a home run to right field, setting up the ninth-inning finish.

Tampa catcher Angel Diaz was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Diaz, who became the first player in championship history to win the honor without playing in the championship game, hit .688 in five games with five home runs and 17 runs batted in.

Joining Diaz on the all-tournament team were second baseman David Mallas; outfielder Carlson; outfielder Rich Gregory; designated hitter Steve Gotowala; and pitcher John-Eric Hernandez from Cal State Chico. Central Oklahoma landed two players on the team: McAlvain and Fox.

Other members of the team included third baseman Daniel Jordan, shortstop Seth LaFera and outfielder Brannon Whatley from Kennesaw State.

Cal State Chico finished the season with a record of 52-11, while Central Oklahoma completed its season with a 42-21 mark.

Game 1

Central Okla. -- 401 -- 302 -- 012 -- 13 -- 15 -- 2

Central Mo. St. -- 200 -- 000 -- 011 -- 4 -- 4 -- 3

Michael Fox, Billy Shapp (9) and Justin James; Eric Massey, Greg Huff (5), Rich Clover (7), Adam Cline (9) and Job Figueroa. W -- Fox. L -- Massey. HR -- Jarred McAlvain (Central Okla.), Justin Crisafulli (Central Mo. St.).

Game 2

Kennesaw St. -- 010 -- 224 -- 722 -- 20 -- 21 -- 0

Slippery Rock -- 002 -- 011 -- 000 -- 4 -- 8 -- 3

Jason Childers, Lem Goodpasture (7), Jason Jones (9), Mike Ivkovich (9) and Chris Halliday, Jason Barkwell; Mark Dolan, Bill Wilson (5), Antonio Comas (6), Chris Wright (7), Matt Nicklas (7) and Brian Burg. W -- Childers. L -- Dolan. HR -- Seth LaFera (Kennesaw St.), Brannon Whatley (Kennesaw St.), Halliday (Kennesaw St.), Steve Reed (Kennesaw St.), Rauf Tunali (Kennesaw St.), Mike Pallitto (Slippery Rock), Chad Moline (Slippery Rock).

Game 3

SIU-Edwardsville -- 210 -- 000 -- 110 -- 5 -- 17 -- 4

Cal St. Chico -- 240 -- 00(11) -- 17x -- 25 -- 25 -- 3

Ryan Cox, Rusty Sarnes (6), Eric Pruitt (6), Dan Sergott (6), Chip Wiley (7), Matt Maltagliati (8), Chris Erwin (8) and Shawn Schulze; John-Eric Hernandez, Brian Baisch (8), John Soldate (9) and Mark Baker, Bryan Burchit. W -- Hernandez. L -- Cox. HR -- Richard Gregory (Cal St. Chico).

Game 4

Adelphi -- 000 -- 100 -- 000 -- 1 -- 3 -- 0

Tampa -- 110 -- 301 -- 34x -- 13 -- 15 -- 0

Guy Napolitano, Dan Broadbent (8) and Gregory Raynes; Bo Donaldson, Jack Koch (9) and Angel Diaz. W -- Donaldson. L -- Napolitano. HR -- Louis Martinez (Tampa), Mike Zerbe (Tampa), Diaz (Tampa) 2.

Game 5

Central Mo. St. -- 010 -- 529 -- 100 -- 18 -- 18 -- 1

Slippery Rock -- 000 -- 011 -- 400 -- 6 -- 11 -- 3

Jeremy Luna, Adam Cline (7), Corey Clinefelter (8) and Job Figueroa, Eddie Medlin; Steve Urda, Bill Wilson (5), Nate Thimons (5), Joe Novak (6), Jim Falbo (6), Mike Gunn (8), Chris Wright (8) and Brian Burg, Anthony Felt. W -- Luna. L -- Urda. HR -- Dave Goodwin (Central Mo. St.), Chris Curry (Central Mo. St.), Eric Maul (Slippery Rock), Christian Conte (Slippery Rock).

Game 6

SIU-Edwardsville -- 4(14)0 -- 110 -- 060 -- 26 -- 26 -- 0

Adelphi -- 000 -- 002 -- 110 -- 4 -- 12 -- 6

Rob LaMarsh, Jason Guest (6), Jeff Ridenour (7), Rusty Sarnes (8) and Chris Erwin, Shawn Schulze; Frank Inzirillo, Michael Zarzicki (1), Darren DePass (2), Brian Mancinelli (2), Mike Nazimek (8), Michael Tullo (9) and Gregory Raynes. W -- LaMarsh. L -- Inzirillo. HR -- Ryan Crawford (SIU-Edwardsville), Mark Briggs (SIU-Edwardsville) 2, Steve Davis (SIU-Edwardsville) 2, LaMarsh (SIU-Edwardsville).

Game 7

Central Okla. -- 201 -- 220 -- 002 -- 9 -- 13 -- 2

Kennesaw St. -- 003 -- 020 -- 002 -- 7 -- 10 -- 2

Jeff Baty, Michael Fox (9) and Justin James; Derek Perkins, Chris Bowen (5) and Chris Halliday. W -- Baty. L -- Perkins. S -- Fox. HR -- Jarred McAlvain (Central Okla.), Brannon Whatley (Kennesaw St.) 2.

Game 8

Cal St. Chico -- 112 -- 010 -- 000 -- 5 -- 7 -- 1

Tampa -- 020 -- 001 -- 000 -- 3 -- 6 -- 2

Josh Osborn and Mark Baker; Tom Cray, John Hipp (9) and Miguel Menendez. W -- Osborn. L -- Cray.

Game 9

Tampa -- 000 -- 460 -- 211 -- 14 -- 17 -- 1

SIU-Edwardsville -- 000 -- 012 -- 010 -- 4 -- 12 -- 2

Mike Valdes, Alex Tzelepis (6) and Angel Diaz; Jeff Ridenour, Jason Guest (5), Ryan Cox (7) and Chris Erwin. W -- Valdes. L -- Ridenour. S -- Tzelepis. HR -- Mike Zerbe (Tampa).

Game 10

Kennesaw St. -- 500 -- 100 -- 100 -- 7 -- 17 -- 4

Central Mo. St. -- 102 -- 001 -- 000 -- 4 -- 7 -- 1

Donnie Thomas and Chris Halliday; Eric Clark, Shane Hicks (1), Casey Castrop (8) and Job Figueroa. W -- Thomas. L -- Clark.

Game 11

Tampa -- 710 -- 351 -- 100 -- 18 -- 22 -- 0

Central Okla. -- 000 -- 010 -- 000 -- 1 -- 4 -- 4

Jeremy Erickson, Jared Lewis (6) and Angel Diaz; Billy Shapp, Chad Shelton (1), Brent Smerczynski (4), Jason Sawvell (6), Daniel Allen (6), Shawn Miller (8), Wes McSwane (9) and Justin James, Lindsey Smith. W -- Erickson. L -- Shapp. S -- Lewis. HR -- Diaz (Tampa), James (Central Okla.).

Game 12

Cal St. Chico -- 000 -- 000 -- 310 -- 4 -- 7 -- 1

Kennesaw St. -- 100 -- 000 -- 100 -- 2 -- 9 -- 1

John-Eric Hernandez, John Soldate (8) and Mark Baker, Tyrus Acoba, Bryan Burchit; Jason Childers, Lem Goodpasture (7), Gary Bohannon (8) and Chris Halliday. W -- Hernandez. L -- Childers. S -- Soldate. HR -- Jason Jones (Kennesaw St.).

Game 13

Central Okla. -- 100 -- 011 -- 100 -- 4 -- 8 -- 16 -- 1

Tampa -- 020 -- 100 -- 010 -- 0 -- 4 -- 5 -- 3

Michael Fox and Justin James; Mike Valdes, John Hipp (6), Jack Koch (10) and Angel Diaz. W -- Fox. L -- Hipp. HR -- Jarred McAlvain (Central Okla.), Brandon Bagwell (Central Okla.), Diaz (Tampa) 2.

Championship game

Central Okla. -- AB -- R -- H -- RBI

Jerrod Nelson, cf -- 5 -- 2 -- 3 -- 1

Ryan Haley, 2b -- 4 -- 1 -- 1 -- 1

Pat Koerner, dh -- 5 -- 2 -- 2 -- 1

Jarred McAlvain, 1b -- 5 -- 0 -- 2 -- 1

Greg Ireton, rf -- 4 -- 1 -- 1 -- 1

Anthony Cellers, lf -- 4 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4

Justin James, c -- 4 -- 1 -- 0 -- 0

Wes McSwane, 3b -- 4 -- 1 -- 1 -- 0

Brandon Bagwell, ss -- 5 -- 2 -- 2 -- 2

Jeff Baty, p -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Chad Shelton, p -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Michael Fox, p -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Totals -- 40 -- 12 -- 15 -- 11

Cal St. Chico -- AB -- R -- H -- RBI

Brian Carlson, cf -- 5 -- 2 -- 1 -- 1

David Mallas, 2b -- 3 -- 1 -- 1 -- 0

Steve Gotowala, 1b -- 2 -- 3 -- 1 -- 0

Rich Gregory, lf -- 5 -- 1 -- 2 -- 3

Orin Hirschkorn, rf -- 5 -- 1 -- 3 -- 3

Tyrus Acoba, pr -- 0 -- 1 -- 0 -- 0

Eric Christensen, dh -- 0 -- 1 -- 0 -- 0

Shane Howell, dh -- 3 -- 0 -- 1 -- 1

Rocko Moreno, dh -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Jason Kicherer, 3b -- 5 -- 1 -- 1 -- 1

Ryan Sasser, ss -- 5 -- 2 -- 2 -- 2

Mark Baker, c -- 3 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Bryan Burchit, c -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Josh Osborn, p -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Brian Baisch, p -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Doug Goff, p -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

John Soldate, p -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Totals -- 36 -- 13 -- 12 -- 11

Central Okla. -- 501 -- 220 -- 011 -- 12 -- 15 -- 3

Cal St. Chico -- 540 -- 110 -- 002 -- 13 -- 12 -- 4

E -- Ireton, Bagwell, Shelton, Gotowala, Kicherer, Sasser, Baker. LOB -- Central Okla. 9, Cal St. Chico 7. 2B -- Nelson, Cellers 2, Bagwell, Sasser 2. HR -- Ireton, Cellers. SB -- Bagwell, Hirschkorn. CS -- Koerner. SH -- Nelson, Haley, Moreno, Baker. SF -- Haley, Cellers.

-- IP -- H -- R -- ER -- BB -- SO

Baty -- 0.2 -- 3 -- 5 -- 5 -- 4 -- 0

Shelton (Loser) -- 8.0 -- 9 -- 8 -- 6 -- 3 -- 7

Fox -- 0.0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0 -- 0

Osborn -- 3.1 -- 9 -- 8 -- 4 -- 2 -- 4

Baisch -- 1.1 -- 2 -- 2 -- 2 -- 1 -- 0

Goff -- 3.1 -- 3 -- 1 -- 1 -- 0 -- 1

Soldate (Winner) -- 1.0 -- 1 -- 1 -- 0 -- 0 -- 1

WP -- Baisch. PB -- James. HBP -- Koerner (by Osborn), Mallas (by Shelton). T -- 3:42. A -- 1,689.