Split decision eliminates W&J
By Joe Tuscano
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@obserer-reporter
For the first time in six seasons, a Presidents’ Athletic Conference baseball team not named Washington & Jefferson will be participating in the NCAA Division III championship.
Grove City, behind the superb pitching of Bryce Trischler, stopped W&J, 4-1, in a 10-inning PAC tournament game at Ross Memorial Park on Friday night. Grove City scored three runs in the top of the 10th to put away W&J, which had earned a spot in the NCAA tournament for the past five seasons.
It was the second game of the day for W&J. The Presidents beat Allegheny 14-1 in the day’s opening contest.
W&J has made 11 appearances in the tournament but got eliminated Friday night behind some outstanding pitching in the PAC tournament.
Trischler gave up one run in 10 innings, struck out three and did not walk a batter.
The offense was a different story for Grove City. The Wolverines had runners in scoring position in six of the 10 innings.
“Usually when that happens, we end up winning the game,” said W&J head coach Jeff Mountain. “But we just couldn’t get to it.”
Grove City managed to push a run across in the top of the seventh but W&J tied it in the bottom of the eighth on a home run to left field by Jacob LaDuca. It was one of only four hits W&J managed for the game.
Grove City had 11 hits, including two in the top of the 10th that helped produce three runs.
“I’m so proud of Bryce,” said Grove City coach Matt Royer. “Bryce threw one inning last year. His mechanics weren’t right but that kid worked and worked. He pitched a nine-inning shutout in Florida against Aurora, which was 24th in the country. It was amazing.”
Grove City plays 1 p.m. today against Westminster and if the Wolverines win, they are PAC champs and earn their first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2008. Grove City is 30-10, tied for the most wins in school history. W&J finished 28-15.
W&J, 14-1
Revenge, Washington & Jefferson College baseball team has found, is served best with a strong pitching effort and an array of hits on offense. The Presidents, who were upset by Westminster, in the second round of the tournament, got a strong effort by right-handed pitcher Erik Streussnig, a flurry of hits and even a steal of home plate to put a punctuation mark on a 14-1 over Allegheny on a chilly Friday.
“You never know. We haven’t reacted well to things the last two, three weeks but that was an impressive showing,” said Mountain. “It was very championship-like. I don’t know. We haven’t carried ourselves well. We played not to lose. We came out today and played like our backs were against the wall and it was great to see, one of our best efforts all year.”
The Presidents pounded out 15 hits and Streussnig allowed just one unearned run in running his record to 7-1 this season.
“I never feel any pressure out there,” said Streussnig. “I have a good defense behind me. I just have to go out there and execute.”
Streussnig uses a 2-seam and 4-seam fastball and slider.
“My go-to pitch is my 2-seamer,” said Streussnig. “It runs a lot and hovers around the speed of my 4-seamer. My slider was working too.”
The heart of the Presidents’ batting order was outstanding. No. 3 hitter, first baseman Brian Feldman, cleanup hitter Zac Stern, and No.5 hitter Josh Dezenzo went a combined 5-for-10, with eight runs and three RBI. Left fielder Knox Meier went 2-for-3 with 4 RBI and catcher Luke Alvarez went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI, including W&J’s only extra-base hit, a double in the sixth inning.
Dezenzo stole home in the top of the third. He beat out an infield hit, went to second on a hit batter, took third on a groundout to second and stole home while Allegheny wasn’t paying attention.