Tommies Down Hornets
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
.jpg?max_width=800&max_height=600)
GRAND CHUTE, Wisc. - Shenandoah University suffered its first loss of the 2009 NCAA Baseball Championships Saturday evening with a 16-5 loss to St. Thomas (Minn.).
The loss is just the second all season for Shenandoah (38-9) to a non-USA South Conference opponent and breaks a 25-game non-conference winning streak.
With the loss, the Hornets fall into the loser's bracket where they will face Carthage (Wisc.) on Sunday at 3:30 CDT in an elimination game.
St. Thomas (38-12) faces Wooster Saturday at 7 in the final game between undefeated teams in the tournament.
After the Tommies jumped out to the early lead with one run in the first and three more in the second, Shenandoah appeared to get something going in the bottom of the second when Greg Van Sickler led off with a double off the left field wall and Scott Van Dusseldorp drew a six-pitch walk.
Unfortunately for the Hornets faithful, St. Thomas starter Bryce Gapinski (7-2) induced a 5-4-3 double play and a groundout to third to escape with no damage.
Gapinski allowed five runs on seven hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings; but the offensive onslaught gave him enough cushion to claim the victory.
The Tommies chased SU starter Josh Simons (5-1) three batters into the third - Simons allowed six runs (three earned) on six hits and four walks in 2.0 innings.
The Hornets got on the board in the bottom of the third by sandwiching a stolen base between a pair of singles. Kevin Brashears had a two-out single to center, stole second and then scored when Scott Lambert drove one back through the box.
Brashears' run is his 72nd of the year and places him in a tie for the most runs scored in Division III this season.
UST extended its lead with two runs in the third, three in the fourth and one in the fifth before pushing six across in the sixth.
Shenandoah was able to answer with three of its own in the bottom of the sixth, but the hole proved too deep.
Junior Jon Holcomb plated two of those runs with a single up the middle; Cory Nelson, who singled, and Van Dusseldorp scored on the play.
Van Dusseldorp led the offense with a 2 for 3, two walk evening.
