Area Baseball Players Headed to NCAA Regionals

GREENVILLE -- The baseball team is returning to its second NCAA tournament in three years as the SLIAC tournament champion.  Greenville rallied from a 4-0 fifth inning deficit to take a 5-4 lead in the fifth and had to come from behind again in the seventh with three runs after allowing Westminster to regain the lead.

Greenville starting pitcher Austin Marsh faced trouble early, allowing two runs in each of the second and third innings.  He settled down to work 5.2 innings with six runs allowed on seven hits and three walks.  He struck out two.

The Panthers took the lead with five runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Sam Hodges delivered a two-run single, Shane Olmsted posted an RBI single, and both later scored on wild pitches.

After Westminster regained the lead, the Panthers fought back with three runs in the seventh.  Danny Strohm hit a solo home run down the left field line to tie the Game, and Ralls recorded a bases loaded two-run single.

Austin Rexroad (Beecher City) was the winning pitcher and bridged the way to closer Klaiton Wolff (Altamont) with two scoreless innings of relief.

Wolff worked around a single to gain his ninth save of the season.

Following the tournament, the SLIAC honored tournament MVP shortstop Jesse Getz after he went 9-for-20 over five Games in which he hit two home runs, picked up 10 RBI, and scored seven runs.

He was joined by all-tournament team members Bryce Pearce (Flora) who went 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA, including a seven inning outing in a win over Spalding, Travis Ralls whose bases loaded single in the seventh inning plated the Game-winning runs, and Wolff who had two saves over 4.1 scoreless innings.  Pearce and Wolff also played in the field and each hit .273 with 3-for-11 tournaments.

Also a member of the Greenville team is Devin Mayfield (Effingham).

With the win, the Panthers secured their first 30-win season in program history.  The 30-15 Panthers will await news on their NCAA tournament destination which will be made known tonight.

NCAA Division III Tournament

GAME     DATE/TIME                           MATCHUP

Host: Webster

1     May 18, 10 a.m.     No. 1 Birmingham Southern (36-8) vs. No. 6 Greenville (30-15)     

2     May 18, 1:30 p.m.     No. 2 Washington-St. Louis (26-8) vs. No. 5 North Central (Ill.) (25-16)     

3     May 18, 5 p.m.     No. 3 Wartburg (31-12) vs. No. 4 Webster (29-13)     

4     May 19, 10 a.m.     Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser     

5     May 19, 1:30 p.m.     Game 1 Winner vs. Game 3 Loser     

6     May 19, 5 p.m.     Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner     

7     May 20, 10 a.m.     Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner     

8     May 20, 1:30 p.m.     Game 4 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser     

9     May 20, 5 p.m.     Game 8 Winner vs. Game 7 Loser     

10     May 21, 11 a.m.     Game 7 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner     

11     May 21, TBD     Game 10 Winner vs. Game 10 Loser (if necessary)

Quincy University

The Quincy University baseball team earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional by defeating Drury University 4-3 and winning the Great Lakes Valley Conference this past weekend in Springfield, Mo.

Mark Niebrugge, a 2012 Teutopolis graduate, pitched the second game of the tournament, defeating William Jewel, 6-2. Niebrugge went six innings, allowed two hits and struck out eight.

Quincy University's first action will be Thursday in Midland, Michigan against Wayne State.

NCAA Division II Schedule

Thursday, May 18
          
Game 1 -- #1 Northwood vs. #8 Kentucky Wesleyan - 1:30 p.m.

Game 2 -- #4 Drury vs. #5 Bellarmine - 10 a.m.

Game 3 -- #2 Southern Indiana vs. #7 Saint Joseph's - 5 p.m.

Game 4 -- #3 Quincy vs. #6 Wayne State - 8:30 p.m.

Friday, May 19

Game 5 -- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 - 10 a.m.

Game 6 -- Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 - 1:30 p.m.

Game 7 -- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 - 5 p.m.

Game 8 -- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 - 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 20           

Game 9 -- Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 7 - 11 a.m.

Game 10 -- Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 8 - 3 p.m.

Game 11 -- Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 - 7 p.m.

Sunday, May 21          

Game 12 -- Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10 - Noon

Game 13 -- Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 11 - 3:30 p.m.

Monday, May 22
          
Game 14 -- Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 13 - Noon

Game 15 -- If necessary