Box Score

Grand Chute, Wis. - The University of St. Thomas (Minn.) manufactured another win on Monday (May 25) as the Tommies, behind the arm of freshman pitcher John Licht, held on to defeat Carthage College (Wis.) at Fox Cities Stadium, 3-1.

With the victory, the Tommies avoided elimination and advance to the title round of the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship on Tuesday (May 26).

St. Thomas (39-13) now waits to play The College of Wooster (Ohio) (42-9) or Chapman University (Calif.) (32-16). Wooster, the only unbeaten team in the double-elimination tournament, has won three straight games to open the championship finals, including 3-0 decision over the Tommies in Sunday's nightcap. Chapman eliminated Kean University (N.J.), 7-5.

Matt Olson went 2-for-3 and scored a pair of runs to lead the Tommies' efforts at the plate. Additionally, RBI singles by Drew Cremsino, Brian Schmitz and Matt McQuillan proved to be all the offense needed for St. Thomas to knock Carthage out of the double-elimination tournament.

Licht, who went the distance for the Tommies while striking out six batters, took care of the rest.

"It's weird how baseball works," Carthage head coach Augie Schmidt said. "I thought we played our best game today. You have to tip your hat. They have a good ball club, and everybody knows it. We were just hoping to catch lightning in a bottle one more time. It's so pitching dominated. If you can get the right guys lined up and your guys are hot, pitching and defense is going to win games."

Despite issuing a pair of walks in the first inning, Carthage starting pitcher Andy Pucher, also a freshman, didn't allow a base hit until Olson beat out a dribbler in front of the plate to lead off the top of the fourth. The catcher's throw to first base ended up in the Tommies' bullpen, which allowed Olson to advance to second.

A sacrifice bunt moved Olson to third base and Cremisino delivered with a run-scoring single back up the middle to give the Tommies a 1-0 lead. Pucher was able to escape further damage by getting St. Thomas third baseman Dan Leslie to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Meanwhile, Licht retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced and didn't allow a Carthage player to reach scoring position until the bottom half of the fourth when John Lequia and Drew Roberts each scattered singles off the Tommies right-hander. But with a full count and runners on first and second base, Licht got Will Hodges to fly out to center field for the third out of the inning.

"l've been relaxed more," Licht said. He ended Carthage second baseman Tyler Eickmeyer's 24-game hit streak. "I've never had this chance to compete against the best. It's pitching in the World Series. You got to go out and have fun. No stress, no pressure."

In his next at-bat, Olson tripled to left-center field with one out in the sixth inning and Brian Schmitz followed with an RBI single to extend the Tommies' cushion to 2-0.

Carthage responded in the bottom of the sixth as Lequia came around to score on a close play at the plate off a double by Roberts that rolled all the way to the wall in center field.

St. Thomas quickly got the run back, however, making it a 3-1 margin after Dan Leslie reached on an error to lead off the seventh. He later scored from second base on a two-out single by McQuillan.

With the loss, Carthage is eliminated from its seventh appearance in the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship. The Red Men finished the 2009 campaign with an overall record of 38-9.

"It's always hard when it ends, but this felt really good," Schmidt said. "For this team to get all the way to the final four, it was so unexpected it feels good. I'm just proud as heck of my team and my coaches."

"We're actually not that bad," St. Thomas head coach Dennis Denning said responding to a question regarding his pitching depth for the remainder of the championship. "Our number one (pitcher Matt Shuld) will be back tomorrow, but we have to win a couple. What we're praying for is what we got today, another complete game."

By: Luke LeNoble (Assistant Sports Information Director, Marquette University)