Auburn, N.Y. – The fifth-seeded Eastern Connecticut Warriors (31-14-1) beat the seventh-seeded Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops (29-19) 5-1 in Friday’s second game of the NCAA Division III baseball regional tournament hosted by Ithaca College at Auburn’s Falcon Park. The Warriors advance to play fourth-seeded Montclair State Friday at 7:45 p.m. in an elimination game. The Battling Bishops were eliminated from the playoffs.
Junior Jimmy Jagodzinski threw a complete-game seven-hitter, striking out eight and allowing just a second-inning run.
The Warriors tied the game in the fourth and put four fifth-inning runs on the board to take the lead. Freshman first baseman Andrew Dewing singled in senior left fielder Jon Dalton, who had led off the fourth with a double, to tie the game.
An inning later, four Warrior hits and an Ohio Wesleyan error led to four Eastern Connecticut runs.
Junior catcher Andrew Magliola brought in a run with an infield grounder then scored when Ohio Wesleyan’s outfielder misplayed sophomore shortstop John Parke’s double .
Junior designated hitter Shawn Gilblair singled in a run then set up Eastern Connecticut’s final run by getting caught in a rundown on a steal attempt to allow sophomore third baseman Melvin Castillo to score from third.
Sophomore catcher Steve Ruygrok drove in Ohio Wesleyan’s run, singling up the middle with two outs to bring in senior first baseman A.J. Dote, who had led off the second with a double.
