St. Thomas (Minnesota) was facing elimination in the Division III Baseball Championship, but the difficult circumstance only brought out the best in the Tommies.
St. Thomas rallied for two dramatic victories over Wooster, including a title-clinching 3-2 win in 12 innings, to capture the program’s second national championship Tuesday in Appleton, Wisconsin. The 12-inning affair was the second-longest Division III championship game, trailing only North Carolina Wesleyan’s 8-7, 13-inning win over Cal State Stanislaus in 1989.
Dan Leslie provided the winning hit with a one-out single that scored Matt Olson from second base to set off a celebration for St. Thomas, which also won the NCAA title in 2001. The clutch performance was a regular occurrence for the Tommies this year, as they went undefeated in six elimination games throughout the regionals and finals.
St. Thomas (41-13) forced the winner-take-all final by scoring two runs in the top of the ninth to down Wooster 6-4 earlier in the day. Then in the final the Tommies had to manufacture runs in the third and sixth innings by scoring on an infield single and a sacrifice fly. Wooster (43-11) scored in the fourth inning on two-run homer by Matt Groezinger.
“Do you know what was fun about the game?” St. Thomas coach Dennis Denning told the Appleton Post-Crescent. “Every kid that got up there thought, ‘Oh, my gosh! This is the shot of a lifetime.’ Every ball hit, every ground ball … the whole game was played real intense.”
St. Thomas’ Olson started the winning rally in the bottom of the 12th with single against hard-luck losing pitcher Mark Miller, who went the entire way for Wooster.
Olson was sacrificed to second, and Leslie followed with a single to left field to score the winning run.
“It’s hard,” said Wooster coach Tim Pettorini. “We’ve been to five of these, and we’ve been second twice and third once. It makes you appreciate just how hard it is. I know we’ll keep battling. Maybe one of these days we’ll break through.”
The Tommies laid the groundwork to their national title in their performance during the regular season. It included a 6-3 win over Minnesota, which earned a berth in the Division I championship. St. Thomas became only the second Division III club to notch a win over a Big Ten opponent in 11 seasons while also snapping an 0-for-16 skid against the Gophers.
“It proved that we can play with anyone on any level, any kind of competition,” said Olson, a junior outfielder who was named the tournament’s most outstanding player after hitting .500 with 11 hits, 11 runs scored and three RBI in six games. “We play real good teams, like we always do - and that was a close game, too. To get the win there, that was extra motivation. We can always be in any game and win any game.”
Game No. 1
| Carthage |
001 |
000 |
000 |
-- |
1 |
8 |
1 |
| Wooster |
002 |
104 |
01x |
-- |
8 |
15 |
1 |
Mario Perez, Bryan Kieffer (6), Tim Keyes (8) and Mike Hughes; Justin McDowell, Tanner Hall (9) and Shane Swearingen. W – McDowell. L – Perez. 2B – John Lequia (C); Drew Roberts (C); Sean Karpen (W). 3B – Trevor Whatley (C). HR – Sean Karpen 2 (W).
Game No. 2
| Kean |
012 |
001 |
211 |
-- |
8 |
10 |
1 |
| Trinity (Conn.) |
100 |
001 |
300 |
-- |
5 |
7 |
6 |
Pedro Rivera, Brandon Aich (7) and Mike Manganiello; Jeremiah Bayer, Conor O’Sullivan-Pierce (9) and Sean Killeen. W – Rivera. L – Bayer. 2B – Dave Zavistoski (K); Kent Graham (T); James Wood (T).
Game No. 3
| Shenandoah |
121 |
101 |
060 |
-- |
12 |
16 |
2 |
| Farmingdale St. |
000 |
200 |
000 |
-- |
2 |
7 |
3 |
Greg Van Sickler and Scott Lambert; Steve King, Chris Phelan (1); Patrick Gilbride (6), Marino Anthony (8), Gary Troy (9) and Zak Nersesian. W – Van Sickler. L – King. 2B - Scot Van Dusseldorp (S). HR - Scott Lambert (S).
Game No. 4
| Chapman |
000 |
000 |
010 |
-- |
1 |
5 |
2 |
| St. Thomas (Minn.) |
210 |
050 |
10x |
-- |
9 |
13 |
2 |
Jordan Sigman, Adam Pittman (6) and Joe Lehman; Matt Schuld and Brady Field. W – Schuld. L – Sigman. 2B - Matt Olson (ST); Tom Wippler (ST). HR - John Semel (C).
Game No. 5
| Trinity (Conn.) |
000 |
000 |
010 |
-- |
1 |
7 |
1 |
| Carthage |
000 |
010 |
81x |
-- |
10 |
11 |
4 |
Derek Anderson, Conor O’Sullivan-Pierce (7), James Ramsey (7), Andrew Janiga (7) and Sean Killeen; Jord Jaehne-Llanas, Mike Maher and Mike Hughes. 2B - Tim Hansen (C). HR - John Lequia (C).
Game No. 6
| Farmingdale St. |
010 |
001 |
000 |
-- |
2 |
6 |
4 |
| Chapman |
000 |
101 |
11x |
-- |
4 |
9 |
1 |
Mike Gionesi and Zak Nersesian; Matt Irsfeld and Joe Lehman. W – Irsfeld. L – Gionesi. 2B - Mike Labrozzi (F); Halston Barcelo (C); Tyler Hadzinsky (C).
Game No. 7
| Wooster |
101 |
111 |
234 |
-- |
14 |
19 |
1 |
| Kean |
000 |
000 |
010 |
-- |
1 |
7 |
3 |
Mark Miller, Nate Gemberling-John (8), Dan O'Brien (9) and Shane Swearingen; Ryan Zamorsky, Drew Campbell (5), Mike Hohman (8), Kyle Murphy (9) and Mike Manganiello. W – Miller. L – Zamorsky. 2B - Stu Beath (W); Matt Groezinger (W); Zack Vesco (W); Michael DeBord (W); Shane Swearingen (W). HR - Lee Cavico (K).
Game No. 8
| St. Thomas (Minn.) |
132 |
316 |
000 |
-- |
16 |
18 |
0 |
| Shenandoah |
001 |
103 |
000 |
-- |
5 |
10 |
2 |
Bryce Gapinski, Brady Gibbs (6), Blake Searles (9) and Ben Wartman; Josh Simons, Kyle Scallion (3), Bryce Sears (4), Jeff Stanek (6), Eric Rabung (9) and Scott Lambert. W – Gapinski. L – Simon. 2B - Matt McQuillan 2 (ST); Roy Larson (ST); Louie Salmen (ST); Greg Van Sickler (S); Scott Van Dusseldorp (S). HR - Roy Larson (ST).
Game No. 9
| Chapman |
010 |
113 |
010 |
-- |
7 |
11 |
0 |
| Kean |
000 |
040 |
100 |
-- |
5 |
15 |
1 |
Matt Luzar, Ben Levitt (5), John Semel (7) and Joe Lehman; Joe Bartlinski, Brandon Aich (6) and Mike Manganiello. W – Levitt. L – Bartlinski. 2B - Tyler Hadzinsky (C); Joe Lehman (C); Gabe Ramirez (K); Dave Zavistoski (K). HR - Ryan Prechtl (C).
Game No. 10
| Carthage |
240 |
002 |
000 |
01 |
-- |
9 |
13 |
4 |
| Shenandoah |
100 |
040 |
210 |
00 |
-- |
8 |
10 |
4 |
Eric Rohe, Scott Danly (7), Mike Maher (8) and Mike Hughes; Matthew Davis, Gage Levac (6) and Scott Lambert. W – Maher. L – Levac. 2B - John Lequia (C); Greg Van Sickler (S). HR - John Lequia (C); Mike Hughes (C).
Game No. 11
| Wooster |
000 |
110 |
100 |
-- |
3 |
11 |
1 |
| St. Thomas (Minn.) |
000 |
000 |
000 |
-- |
0 |
4 |
0 |
Matt DeGrand, Justin McDowell (8) and Shane Swearingen; Dan Leslie, Kris Edwards (8) and Brady Field. W – DeGrand. L – Leslie. S – McDowell. 2B - Sean Karpen (W); Matt Olson (ST); Tayler Rahm (ST).
Game No. 12
| St. Thomas (Minn.) |
000 |
101 |
100 |
-- |
3 |
5 |
0 |
| Carthage |
000 |
001 |
000 |
-- |
1 |
7 |
3 |
John Licht and Ben Wartman; Andy Pucher, Bryan Kieffer (7) and Mike Hughes. W – Licht. L – Pucher. 2B - Drew Roberts (C). 3B - Matt Olson (ST).
Game No. 13
| Wooster |
343 |
100 |
000 |
-- |
11 |
12 |
2 |
| Chapman |
201 |
100 |
003 |
-- |
7 |
14 |
4 |
Anthony Trapuzzano, Tanner Hall (4), Tyler Fugate (9), Nate Gemberling-John (9) and Shane Swearingen; Jordan Sigman, Matt Irsfeld (2), Adam Pittman (8), Ben Levitt (9) and Joe Lehman. W – Hall. L – Sigman. 2B - Sean Karpen (W); Stu Beath (W); Halston Barcelo (C); Ryan Hall (C). HR - Matthew Pierce (W).
Game No. 14
| St. Thomas (Minn.) |
000 |
200 |
202 |
-- |
6 |
13 |
0 |
| Wooster |
000 |
010 |
030 |
-- |
4 |
9 |
2 |
Matt Schuld and Brady Field; Justin McDowell, Matt DeGrand (9) and Shane Swearingen. W – Schuld. L – McDowell. 2B - Brian Schmitz (ST); Stu Beath (W); Shane Swearingen (W). HR – Shane Swearingen (W).
Championship game
| Wooster |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
| Sean Karpen cf |
5 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| John Warren 2b |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Stu Beath lf |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Matt Groezinger 1b |
5 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| Matthew Pierce ss |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Zack Vesco 3b |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| Matthew Johnson pr |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Derek Wyman 3b |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Michael DeBord dh |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Shane Swearingen c |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Luke Sutton rf |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Mark Miller p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Totals |
42 |
2 |
8 |
2 |
| |
| St. Thomas (Minn.) |
AB |
R |
H |
RBI |
| Matt McQuillan cf |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Tim Kahle ss |
4 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
| John Means ph |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Tayler Rahm lf |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Matt Olson rf |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| Brian Schmitz dh |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Dan Leslie 3b |
4 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Roy Larson lf/ss |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Tom Wippler 1b |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| Louie Salmen 2b |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| Ben Wartman c |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| Bryce Gapinski p |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Brandon Stone p& |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Totals |
35 |
3 |
12 |
3 |
E - Wippler. DP – Wooster 5. LOB – Wooster 5; St. Thomas 13. 2B – Wartman (ST). HR -
Groezinger (W). SH - Warren; McQuillan; M. Olson (ST); Schmitz (ST); Leslie (ST); Salmen (ST). SF – Larson (ST). SB – Pierce (W); McQuillan (ST); M. Olson (ST). CS – Karpen (W); Johnson (W).
| Wooster |
000 |
200 |
000 |
000 |
-- |
2 |
8 |
0 |
| St. Thomas |
001 |
001 |
000 |
001 |
-- |
3 |
12 |
1 |
| Wooster |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Mark Miller |
11.1 |
12 |
3 |
3 |
7 |
1 |
| |
| St. Thomas |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
| Bryce Gapinski |
5 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
| Brandon Stone |
7 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
W - Stone. L – Miller. WP - Miller. HBP - by Miller (McQuillan); by Miller (Leslie).
Umpires - Chad Eischens, Buddy Cornstubble, Jim Muhleck, Mike
Webster. T - 2:41. A – 1,687
