BOX SCORE AND PLAY-BY-PLAY:
USI 7, Kutztown 1
CARY, N.C. – University of Southern Indiana sophomore right-hander Josh Schultze (Evansville, Indiana) threw a gem to lead the ninth-ranked Screaming Eagles to a 7-1 win over sixth-ranked Kutztown University Tuesday evening at the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship Series in Cary, North Carolina. USI raises its record to 50-13 overall, while Kutztown falls for the first time in the series and to 42-14 in 2010.
The Eagles, who reach the NCAA II final four for the second time since 2007, advance to play the winner of tomorrow's match-up of third-ranked University of Central Missouri and fourth-ranked Georgia College and State University Thursday at 3 p.m. Central Missouri and Georgia College play Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Schultze (9-2) recorded his third complete game of the season in posting win number nine in his first year with the Eagles. He allowed one unearned run, while scattering eight hits and striking out six.
Trailing 1-0 after five-and-a-half innings, the Eagles scored all the runs Schultze would need with a five-run rally in the bottom of the sixth. USI tied the score 1-1 when senior third baseman Wes Fink (Clarksville, Tennessee) drove in his fifth RBI of series with a sacrifice fly, scoring senior rightfielder Caleb Ehmke (Waterloo, Indiana).
Sophomore second baseman Brad Vance (Louisville, Kentucky) gave the Eagles the lead with a two-out triple, driving in junior first baseman Adam Enright (Hammond, Indiana) to make the score 2-1. The RBI was Vance's 67th of the year and pulls him into a tie with junior catcher Dylan Mooney (St. Charles, Missouri) for the USI team lead and an Eagle single-season record.
After junior designated hitter Todd Martin (Rockport, Indiana) walked and advance to second on a stolen base, senior shortstop Wandy Rosario (Boston, Massachusetts) pushed a two-run single through the left side to score Vance and Martin. Rosario crossed the plate one batter later to give USI a 5-1 lead on a Kutztown error after junior leftfielder Michael Huling (South Bend, Indiana) had doubled to right center.
The Eagles scored a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh. Enright drove in Ehmke with an RBI-single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Martin.
