USI knocks off #1 UCSD, 6-4
CARY, N.C. – The ninth-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team is the NCAA Division II National Champion after knocking off number one ranked University of California San Diego, 6-4, Saturday afternoon in Cary, North Carolina. USI finishes 2010 with a school-record 52-14 overall record, while UCSD concludes the season with a 54-8 mark.
The victory is the first national title for the USI baseball program and the second national championship for the University. The first team national championship for the Screaming Eagles came in 1995 by the men's basketball team.
USI won 42 of its last 49 games on its way to the title and went 13-2 in the post-season (GLVC and NCAA II Tournaments).
The Triton struck first in the opening frame with a pair of runs to lead 2-0. The Eagles bounced back with three runs in the top of the third. Senior rightfielder Caleb Ehmke (Waterloo, Illinois) cut the deficit in half, crossing the plate with USI's first run when sophomore shortstop Brad Vance (Louisville, Kentucky) reached on a fielder's choice.
USI took the lead for good, 3-2, on a two-run, bases-loaded, double by junior designated hitter Todd Martin (Rockport, Indiana).
The Eagles increased the margin to three with a pair of tallies in the top of the fourth on a two-run single by Vance. Vance's three RBIs gave him the USI single-season record of 70 on the season, passing the 68 by teammate and junior catcher Dylan Mooney (St. Charles, Missouri) this year. Mooney was the first to pass the school record of 64 which was set by Jason Krack in 1994.
Vance drove in junior first baseman Adam Enright (Hammond, Indiana) and junior centerfielder Justin Blinn (Vincennes, Indiana), who had singled and doubled to start the fourth.
USI upped the advantage to 6-2 when Martin scored from third when UCSD right-hander Guido Knudson balked. Martin had opened the seventh with a walk and advanced to third on a single by senior shortstop Wandy Rosario (Boston, Massachusetts) and a fielder's choice by junior leftfielder Michael Huling (South Bend, Indiana).
The six runs were all junior right-hander Trevor Leach (Danville, Indiana) needed. Leach (12-1) got the Eagles through seven innings (and one batter in the eighth), allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks. The 12 wins also ties Leach with junior right-hander Taylor Dennis (Covington, Indiana) for the USI single-season record for wins.
Junior right-hander Dan Marcacci (Jupiter, Florida) came on to relieve Leach in the eighth and go the final six outs.
Dennis, who won his 12th on Friday over Georgia College and State University to get the Eagles to the title game, was named the championship series Most Outstanding Player. He was joined on the NCAA II National Championship Series All-Tournament team by Blinn, Vance, Rosario, Martin, and senior third baseman Wes Fink (Clarksville, Tennessee).
