May 16, 2009

Blike’s big hit sends Mercyhurst into regional final against West Chester

WEST LAWN, Pa. — Mercyhurst College forged the comeback, waited through the hour and a half rain delay and stranded the game-tying run on third to win 8-7 in Game 9 of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regionals Saturday at Owls Field.

After No. 4 Mercyhurst took the 8-7 lead over No. 5 West Virginia State in the top of the ninth, play was halted when a thunderstorm passed over Owls Field.

The two teams waited nearly two hours before completing the game.

But even after the delay, the three outs didn’t come easy for Mercyhurst.

Josh Bower led off the bottom of the ninth with a walk and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and a flyout to right field to put the tying run 90 feet away.

Mercyhurst closer Jamie Walczak, however, picked up the win by striking out J.D. Broderick to end the game and strand Bower at third.

Broderick was 3-for-4 leading up to that final at-bat with two RBIs.

West Virginia State was the first team to have to lodge a comeback, as Mercyhurst took the early 5-0 lead scoring two runs in the top of the first and another three in the third.

Jonathan Dziomba, who scored three runs for Mercyhurst, was part of a two-run comeback in the eighth inning that tied the game at 7-7. Jeff Stoll provided the clutch hit, driving in the two runs with a double. Stoll also walked and scored in the third to make it 5-0 Mercyhurst.

West Virginia State scored three runs in back-to-back innings in the fourth and fifth to take a 6-5 lead. Bower, who was 2-for-3, scored his second run of the game in the seventh to make it 7-5.

Mike Deleeuw was 3-for-4 in with three RBIs and two runs scored. His two-run triple in the fourth got the Yellow Jackets on the board and he made it 5-3 when he scored on Rob Hawkins’ groundout.

Deleeuw doubled in another run in the fifth to tie the game at 5-5, and he scored on Broderick’s single. Broderick finished 3-for-4 in the game.

Mercyhurst will advance to face No. 1 West Chester in Game 10 at noon Sunday. An “if necessary” game will be played at 2:30 p.m.

West Virginia State finished the tournament with a 2-2 record.