Tigers Split With Top-Ranked Wooster In NCAC Tournament Semifinals

WOOSTER, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers did the improbable on Saturday, and as a result they live to fight another day after splitting a doubleheader at the College of Wooster in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals. Wittenberg won the opener 8-7 after scoring four unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning and Wooster captured the day's second game with a 5-0 shutout.

The Tigers, the second-place finisher in the NCAC West Division after finishing with a 10-6 regular season record, improved to 23-15 overall on the season. The Scots, ranked first in the nation after winning the NCAC East with a sparkling 15-1 record, are now 35-7 overall. The two teams will meet again at noon Sunday, with the winner moving into the tournament championship series at Carleton Davidson Stadium in Springfield.

In the opener, Wooster jumped out to a 5-0 lead through the first three innings. But the Tigers battled back, getting an unearned run off Wooster ace Jon Oliver in the fourth and then pushing two more runs across in the seventh on an RBI double by freshman Jacob Michael and an RBI groundout by senior Matt Berry.

Wooster got both runs back in its half of the seventh on back-to-back home runs before the Tigers began their rally in earnest, starting in the top of the eighth with a leadoff home run by senior shortstop K.R. Schlievert. Then in the ninth, Wittenberg's first two batters reached safely on a single and an error to set the stage for an improbable winning rally. Schlievert greeted Wooster closer Luke Katich with a two-run single, followed by a grounder to short by freshman Pat Williams that was booted, allowing Schlievert, who reached third base on a wild pitch, to score the tying run. Williams advanced to third on a single by junior first baseman Andrew Wellman and the speedy outfielder scored the winning run on another wild pitch.

Wittenberg senior Jason Holmberg picked up the victory in the opener after he went the distance on the mound. He allowed 11 hits, three walks and seven earned runs in the nine-inning game, but that was enough for Holmberg to improve to 8-0 on the season.

The nightcap turned into a pitcher's duel, and the Wooster's Adam Samson got the best of things with his second career complete-game shutout. Wittenberg managed eight hits off Samson - all singles - but the Tigers stranded 10 baserunners. On the flip side, the Scots collected nine hits and four walks against Wittenberg senior Steve Less. While he kept Wooster at bay, the Tiger offense was stymied, setting up a deciding game Sunday.

Schlievert and senior designated hitter Brian Hampp collected two hits apiece to lead the Wittenberg offense, but the Tigers were unable to even get a runner to third in the game against Samson, a freshman lefthander with a 7-2 record this season.