W&J gets tough draw as host for NCAA regional tournament
When Washington & Jefferson upset top-seeded Thomas More in last week’s Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship, it not only gave the Presidents a title but also hosting rights to the NCAA Mideast Region Tournament.
Six teams from five states will begin competition Wednesday for entry into the Division III World Series in Appleton, Wisc. For the first time, Washington & Jefferson’s Ross Memorial Park will host the regional.
Arguably one of the toughest regions in the country, the Mideast Region will feature three teams ranked in the top 10 in the country, led by No. 2 Frostburg State. Heidelberg and Shenandoah are ranked 9th and 10th, respectively. Two other teams – Adrian and La Roche – have received votes in the poll.
The following are previews of first-round matchups.
Game time: Noon
Though they would have been a lock for an at-large bid, the Bobcats of Frostburg (37-6) State secured their spot as the top seed in the region by winning the Capital Athletic Conference. Only two hours away, the Maryland university should have a strong support group. Outfielder Nick Walker has a team-high .385 batting average and 52 RBI. First baseman Rick Brady has 10 home runs in 34 games.
The Presidents (28-15) are coming off their 10th Presidents Athletic Conference title to earn the automatic bid when they defeated Thomas More in a winner-take-all championship. The Presidents beat the Bobcats 6-4 last year in the regular season, but FSU exacted revenge earlier this season at Ross Memorial Park with a 5-0 victory. Both teams missed the regional tournament last year. Outfielder Nick Vento has a .381 average and outfielder Gannon Rooney and infielder Kyle Smith each have 20 stolen bases. Pitchers Jared Baird (2.71 ERA in 73 innings) and Riley Groves (1.59 ERA in 62.1 innings) lead W&J’s staff.
Game time: 3:15 p.m.
Adrian (33-10) won the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and has been a staple in the regional round with its eighth consecutive appearance. The second seed is the highest the Bulldogs have been in school history in the regional round and are looking to build on their success from last year, when they lost in the Midwest Regional championship to eventual national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater. Shortstop Ryan Dorow leads the team with 10 home runs and senior Eric Schmidt is 9-1 with a 2.23 ERA.
Shenandoah (27-8-1) is traveling from Virginia after winning the Old Dominion Athletic Conference title. The Hornets are making their second straight appearance in the regionals after competing in the South region last year. The Hornets stole 42 bases this season with third baseman J.J. McDaniel leading with 12. The pitching staff held opponents to a .217 batting average.
Game time: 6:30 p.m.
Heidelberg (31-12) lost in the Ohio Athletic Conference championship to Marietta but earned one of the few at-large bids. This game is a rematch from May 2, when Heidelberg outslugged La Roche 12-9. It is the second straight year the Student Princes and Redhawks are making the regional round. Outfielder Derek Hug has 13 home runs. Pitchers Derek Hendrixson and Adam Manner are each 7-0. Hendrixson also has seven saves.
The Redhawks (30-11) defeated Penn-State Behrend in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference to earn the automatic bid. The Redhawks lost to the Student Princes in each of the past two years in the regular season. Cory Podvansik has 10 home runs and a .437 batting average. Interestingly, La Roche’s pitching staff has just five saves in the 30 wins.