TENNESSEE BOUND: Thunderwolves defeat Herkimer for Region III crown, return to Division III World Series
*** PHOTO CREDIT: SUNY NIAGARA ATHLETICS ***
The trophy case in Sanborn just expanded.
In a marathon day that featured a four-hour 48-minute weather delay, No. 1 SUNY Niagara defeated No. 3 Herkimer for the NJCAA Region III Div. III championship Saturday in Auburn. This marked the third and final day of the double-elimination tournament at historic Falcon Park.
The Generals won the opening game, 10-9, in 10 innings, forcing a second and deciding game in the championship bracket. The Thunderwolves bounced back with offensive production in an 18-3 win, with a game-changing eight-run seventh inning.
With the win, SUNY Niagara clinched its 10th NJCAA Region III Div. III championship in program history and is 10-3 all-time in the regional final since 2008, the second season of the Matt Clingersmith era. Now 51-6 overall, the Thunderwolves advance to the NJCAA Div. III World Series for the 10th time in program history.
The double-elimination tournament begins May 23-27/28 at TVA Credit Union Ballpark in Johnson City, Tenn. SUNY Niagara’s first opponent and game time will be announced later this week.
The 18-3 victory also marked Clingersmith’s 750th career win with the program, the latest milestone in his 20 seasons coaching in Sanborn. An eight-time Region III Coach of the Year recipient, Clingersmith has a 750-233-1 record with the Thunderwolves.
The Thunderwolves, who were ranked second in the final regular-season NJCAA Div. III national ranking Monday, posted consecutive 50-win seasons for the first time in program history following a win against Hudson Valley Friday and the championship win against Herkimer. Last season, SUNY Niagara finished with a program-best 51-2 record and appeared in the NJCAA Div. III World Series Final Four.
Following the championship game, (left to right), Keegan Bazinet, Mike Schaefer, Evan Kohr, Dalton Harper and Cam Gravelle were selected to the all-NJCAA Region III tournament team. Harper was also named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Game One: Herkimer 10, SUNY Niagara 9, Final, 10 Innings
SUNY Niagara jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after loading the bases. A hit-by-pitch to Cooper Rossano and back-to-back walks to Dalton Harper and Mike Schaefer led to a bases-clearing triple by Evan Kohr. This was Kohr’s fourth triple of the season.
Herkimer then scored two runs in the top of the third, cutting the deficit to 3-2. This would remain the score until the bottom of the fifth when Cam Gruarin brought home Harper on a two-out, one-run single to right field, giving SUNY Niagara a 4-2 lead.
The Thunderwolves then added two runs in the bottom of the sixth. After posting a double earlier in the frame, Luke Gigliotti scored on Harper’s bases-loaded RBI walk three batters later (5-2 SUNY Niagara) and Schaefer brought home Cam Gravelle on a sacrifice fly (6-2 SUNY Niagara).
Herkimer answered with three runs in the top of the seventh. A sacrifice fly and a two-run home run made it a one-run contest (6-5 SUNY Niagara). After holding the Thunderwolves scoreless in the bottom half of the seventh, the Generals recorded a solo home run and a sacrifice fly for their first lead of the game, 7-6, in the top of the eighth
SUNY Niagara responded in the bottom of the eighth. On a 2-0 count, Harper recorded a two-run home run, his team-leading 16th of the season and 19th of his career (8-7 SUNY Niagara) and Kohr added a one-run single (9-7 SUNY Niagara).
The lead was short-lived, however, as Herkimer responded in the top of the ninth with two home runs, tying the contest at 9-9. The Thunderwolves had the game-winning run in pinch-runner Jonah Moscato, but was left stranded, forcing the game into extra innings.
Herkimer then recorded the eventual game-winning run with its fifth home run of the game for a 10-9 lead in the top of the 10th inning. In the bottom of the 10th, Harper represented the game-tying run after his walk, a fielder’s choice ground-out and a wild pitch sent him to third, but Kohr’s strikeout ended the game.
Kohr went 3-for-6 with a team-high four runs driven in. Schaefer went 2-for-4, drove in a run and scored twice.
Along with drawing a game-high and single-game five walks, Harper had one hit, drove in three runs and scored three times.
Gruarin (one RBI), Gigliotti (run), Prizel and Graham all recorded one hit each. Gravelle scored two runs and Rossano scored once.
On the mound, Derrick Allen recorded a no-decision in the start. The freshman threw 6.1 innings and allowed three runs on six hits, struck out six and walked four on 111 pitches (67 strikes).
Matt Kasprowicz allowed three runs on two hits and posted a strikeout and a walk over his two outs (18 pitches). Cooper Polcovich then threw the final 2.2 innings and allowed four runs on five hits and four strikeouts (65 pitches).
Game Two: SUNY Niagara 18, Herkimer 3
After a four-hour, 48-minute weather delay, the Thunderwolves and Generals returned to Falcon Park for the championship-deciding contest. Herkimer had a chance to score first in the top of the first, but left the bases loaded.
SUNY Niagara then scored five runs in the bottom of the first for a 5-0 lead. Cam Gruarin and Alexander Graham both recorded a two-run single and Luke Gigliotti followed up with a one-run base hit.
Graham then drove in his third run of the game with a one-run double, causing Evan Kohr to record the run. SUNY Niagara led 6-0 at the end of the third.
Herkimer scored its first run of the contest in the top of the fourth (8-1 SUNY Niagara). Kohr then recorded a two-run triple in the bottom of the frame, with Mike Schaefer and Cooper Rossano scoring the runs (8-1 SUNY Niagara).
The Thunderwolves scored once in the bottom of the sixth. Schaefer’s one-run single scored Gravelle and extended their lead to 9-1.
SUNY Niagara then scored eight runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh, extending their lead to 17-1. The first two runs were scored on Gravelle’s RBI walk and Rossano’s hit-by-pitch at-bats before Harper recorded a bases-clearing three-run triple (14-1 SUNY Niagara).
Two batters later, Kohr recorded a two-run home run over the left field wall (16-1 SUNY Niagara). Cooper Prizel then sent Gruarin home on a one-run single, ending the scoring in the frame. (17-1 SUNY Niagara).
Herkimer added two runs in the top of the eighth, cutting the deficit to 17-3. Harper then recorded a one-run single in the bottom of the frame, with Gravelle scoring from second (18-3 SUNY Niagara).
Kohr (three RBI, two runs) and Schaefer (one RBI, two runs) both had three-hit performances. Graham (3 RBI) and Harper (2 RBI) both had two hits apiece.
Gruarin and Rossano both went 2-for-5 in the win. Gruarin drove in two runs and scored three times, while Rossano brought in one run and scored three times.
Prizel went 2-for-4 and drove in a run. Gravelle had one hit, an RBI and scored three runs.
Gigliotti (one RBI) and Jonah Moscato both had a hit and scored a run. The Thunderwolves scored 18 runs on 19 hits.
In just his fourth start and appearance of the season, Luke Liedka allowed one unearned run on three hits, struck out five and walked four in four innings pitched (96 pitches).
Joe Czaja came out of the bull-pen and recorded the win. In 3.2 innings, Czaja allowed one run on four hits, struck out six and walked two (73 pitches).
Tyler Vogel recorded the final four outs of the game and did not allow a hit or run and posted one walk (17 pitches).