Playing in just his 25th game of the year, Ormaecha made his mark on the year with a game-winning two-run single to cap off a come-from-behind, 9-8 defeat of Renesselaer Polytechnic Institute in a winner’s bracket game of the NCAA Division III Championship Series held Sunday at Fox Cities Stadium.

The Warriors found themselves trailing for the second time in the game just moments before, when RPI first baseman Dan Quinn launched a mammoth two-run home run to deep centerfield in the top of the ninth inning to put the Red Hawks ahead, 9-7.

"It’s a great way to win a ball game," Oremaecha said. "I’ve had dreams about this, but you never expect to get a chance like this."

RPI took an early 4-0 lead scoring in the first, and adding three in the top of the third before the Warriors responded with a pair of their own in the bottom of the inning.

ECSU took the lead in the fifth when John Kubachka scored on an error by Quinn to make the score 5-4.

The Warriors proceeded to add on two more in the sixth, before RPI rallied in the eighth with two runs, and the three-run ninth, capped off by Quinn’s blast.

"Our guys just kept battling all night," ECSU head coach Bill Holowaty. "They didn’t give up, they fought hard. That’s the kind of team I have."

Two days after sparking a comeback in the Warriors’ opening game, Eugene Julien led the team at the plate going four-for-five with a pair of runs, a run batted in … and a new jersey number.

"I forgot my shirt at the hotel," Julien — who previously wore jersey No. 11 — said. "So we have this bag with extra gear in it, and there was No. 57. I’m not wearing No. 11 again."

Kubachka piled up four hits in five tries, and scored five times while second baseman Morgan Thompson and left fielder John Hedde each had a pair of hits for the Warriors, who now take a 37-10-1 record into a Monday meeting with Marietta College . Jeremy Hall earned his fourth win of the season, while starter Matt Fortin threw seven innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts.

Quinn’s home run highlighted a 3-for-4 day at the plate with three runs and five runs batted in for the Red Hawks, who drop to 33-10 and will face The College of New Jersey in an elimination game at 7:30 p.m. (CDT) Sunday.

Written By Andrew Wagner
Photos By Lehigh Photo

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