Troy
Loyd’s blast was a perfect analogy for
Anderson University’s night.
With
a man on second and nobody out in the 11th inning
of a 1-1 game, the Ravens’ designated
hitter lifted a curveball 330 feet that almost,
but not quite, cleared the 16-foot wall in left
field.
Close,
but just not enough.
Anderson
proceeded to load the bases with nobody out,
before being shut down, and eventually lost
to Christopher Newport University, 2-1 in a
12-inning NCAA Division III Championship Series
contest at Fox Cities Stadium Sunday night.
It
was a night of missed opportunities and solid
pitching for both squads, who entered the final
game of the day as - somewhat surprisingly -
the only remaining unbeaten teams.
Eben
Brower, a freshman, pitched 11 innings for Christopher
Newport, striking out eight, walking one, and
scattering 10 hits. He allowed one run to score
– unearned – in the bottom half
of the fifth inning, and was able to pitch out
of several jams.
“His
pitch count was down, and he said he felt fine,”
Christopher Newport head coach John Harvell
said. “So we let him go a little longer
tonight.”
Anderson
starter John Louden was effective as well, hurling
for nine innings, allowing just three hits with
four strike outs and five walks. The only run
scored on his watch was unearned as well.
“Their
pitcher had a great game,” Anderson coach
Don Brandon said. “So did ours, though.
“It
just came down to the fact that they got their
clutch hits, and we didn’t.”
Clutch
would be the best way to describe the Captains’
half of the 12th inning. Catcher Scotty George
led off the inning with a double to right centerfield.
First baseman John Corbin reached next on a
fielders’ choice when he laid down a slow
rolling bunt.
After
pinch hitter Dave Dibbler flew out to left,
leftfielder Jeff Moody came up with two on and
two out and ripped a triple to right center
to give the Captains the lead.
“We
were about three inches away from losing this
one,” Harvell said. “Somebody up
there was looking out for us today.”
Lloyd’s
shot capped off a three-for-six day. Brent Hodges,
John Buckner, and Aaron Woolsey also had two
hits for the Ravens. Anderson, which dropped
to 35-14, will now play at Noon on Monday against
Chapman University.
The
light-hitting Moody, who hit just his second
homer of the season in the tournament opener,
collected just one hit in three trips Sunday
night. But it was the only hit he needed.
“I
was looking for a fastball,” Moody said.
“He gave it to me right down the middle.”
Christopher
Newport (34-7) plays in the 3:30 p.m. contest
Monday, and will face defending national champion
Eastern Connecticut State University. The Captains
are the only undefeated team remaining in the
double-elimination tournament.
Written
By Andrew Wagner
Photos
By Lehigh Photo |
