Hillcats Fall Short in Title Game
The Hillcat baseball team is the first RSU athletic program to reach the national championship finals. (Photo Courtesy of RSU Media Relations)RSU (49-16) ends its
magical run at the NAIA World Series winning the most games in Hillcat baseball history.
They are the first Hillcat baseball team to reach the World Series and the
first RSU athletic
program to compete in the national championship game.
RSU clung to a 6-5 lead
going into the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Thomas Sicking singled to start the Bulldogs
rally. Travis Burnside reached on an error after laying down a sacrifice bunt
but became the second out as Anthony Boix followed and reached on a fielder’s choice. With two
outs and runners on the corners, Stephan Branca drew a full count walk to load the bases. With two
strikes against him, Jake Stone singled to left field and two runs scored to
give TWC a one run
lead. Taylor Oldham belted a three run home run over the left field fence to
give the Bulldogs some breathing room.
Lance Rymel drove a one-out single up the middle in the top of the
ninth but TWC retired
the next two batters to record the win.
The Hillcats kicked off the game on the right foot as they
plated three runs in the top of the first. Eric Baker led off the inning and
reached on a bobble by the shortstop. The speedy Baker went first to third on a
wild pitch and Hector Rivera walked to put runners on the corners with no outs.
Colton Campbell hit a sacrifice fly to deep left field to bring Baker home
and Rymel followed
with a walk. Cody Campbell kept the offense going as he belted a RBI double in
the left-center field gap. Randy Ramirez walked to load the bases and Cade McKewon ended the scoring
in the inning with a fielder’s choice RBI.
The Bulldogs answered with a pair of runs in the bottom
of the first frame thanks to a two RBI double smacked off the left field wall by
Oldham.
RSU added to its lead
in the third as Rymel
led off the inning with a single to right and Cody Campbell walked to start the
inning. Ramirez followed with a two RBI double in the left center gap and scored
on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Bargas later in the inning.
The Bulldogs cut the Hillcat lead in the sixth with consecutive solo shots
by Jordan Guida and
Drew Levi. Anthony Boix added a RBI ground out later in the inning to make it a
6-5 game.
Starting pitcher Kyle Duncan tossed five innings and
allowed four runs on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Bargas (7-4) was tagged
with the loss as he allowed five runs, one earned, on three hits with two walks
while fanning four. Tyler Garner pitched the final third and allowed one run on
one hit with one strikeout.
Four pitchers saw time on the mound for the Bulldogs.
Corey Collins (4-1) tossed the final two innings and recorded the win as he
allowed just one hit while fanning one.
Baker, Bargas and Shawn Spainhoward were named to the World Series all-tournament
team while Baker also received the tournament gold glove.
Twelve seniors played their last game in the Hillcat red and blue. Seniors Drew Taylor, Jim Minor, Cade McKewon, Zack Williams, Lance Rymel, Randy Ramirez, Tyler Garner, Eric Faust, Taylor Estes, Freddy Soto, Jacob Wenaas and Jeremy Penn made immeasurable contributions to the RSU baseball program.
