And it was down to two. Cal Poly Pomona and Catawba waged battle again on Friday in an attempt to advance to the national title game, and it was the Indians of Catawba who came away with the back-and-forth victory, putting them in the championship series on Saturday (May 30) against Tampa.
Friday, May 29th (Elimination Game)
Catawba - 9
Cal Poly Pomona - 6
Box Score
It was the most offensively-minded game of the tournament from the perspective of both teams combined, but it was Catawba minimizing their mistakes and moving on in the bracket.
The Broncos of CPP took an early lead in the bottom of the second on a Ryan Webberley lead-off double and a Jacob Bernardy RBI single to make it 1-0. The next batter, Kyle Garlick, arguably the best hitter at the tournament, singled home Bernardy to make it 2-0.
From there, it was a back-and-forth affair. Catawba matched the two runs in the top of the third, as single, single and RBI double led off the frame. After a groundout and a walk, Malachi Hanes lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the game at two.
In the bottom of the third, CPP responded, as Mike Philp hit his third home run of the season, and third of the tournament, to bring two more runs across for the Broncos and make it a 4-2 game.
Yet again, though, Catawba had an answer. In the top of the fourth, the Broncos were plagued by a pair of errors and an RBI single from Blake Houston to allow the Indians to notch the game back up at four.
In the top of the fifth, Catawba got a lead-off walk from T.J. Wharton and a single from Craig Brooks to begin the inning. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners over, a Kyle Smith RBI single made it a 5-4 advantage for the Indians.
Yet again, though...the Broncos had an answer. In the bottom of the fifth, CPP put together a two-out rally after the first two hitters of the inning were retired. Webberley was hit by a pitch and Brennen Salgado reached on an error that moved Webberley to third. A Nicholas Bruno RBI single tied the game at five, and a Bernardy RBI single back up the middle put the Broncos back on top again, 6-5.
The Indians were able to respond yet again in the top of the sixth, getting a two-RBI single from Brooks to score Hanes and Will Albertson, taking back the lead, 7-6.
The lead moved to 8-6 in the top of the seventh with a two-out rally from Catawba. After Blake Houston and Dylan Richardson each tallied two-out singles to put runners on, Albertson delivered an RBI single in to left field to make it an 8-6 game.
Pomona had their chance to at least tie the game in the bottom of the seventh. Philp singled to lead off the inning and Webberley doubled to put two runners in scoring position with nobody out. However, a line-out to the third baseman was followed by a Bruno fly ball in to right field. After the catch, Philp tried to draw the throw home, stumbled, and the runner from second, Webberley, was trying to tag up to third after some miscommunication. Webberley was caught in a rundown, Philp tried to come home, and he was thrown out to complete the double play and end the inning with the Broncos still training 8-6.
The Indians added an insurance run in the top of the ninth with a Richardson RBI single that turned in to an error by the left fielder and rolled all the way to the wall. Richardson actually came around to score on the play, but was out at third on appeal after it was ruled he didn't touch third base.
Leading 9-6 and with Brooks already on the mound to close down the game in a save situation, the Broncos didn't stand much chance. Brooks struck out five batters in his two innings of work for the save, securing Catawba's spot in the national title game.
Neither starting pitcher was long for the game, as neither made it out of the fifth inning. Ryan McClintock (6-0) picked up the victory for the Indians with 1.1 innings of shutout relief, while Brooks' save was his third of the season. He allowed one hit and one walk with five strikeouts in two innings.
Offensively, Pomona got another solid game from Webberley, who went 3-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and a pair of doubles. Philp was 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI courtesy of his homerun. Bernardy was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI.
For the Indians, the 15-hit attack was led by Houston's 4-for-5, one run, two RBI performance. Richardson was 3-for-5 with an RBI and a walk, Albertson was 2-for-4 with a run, RBI and two walks, Brooks was 2-for-5 with a run and two RBI, and Smith was 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.
Catawba moves on to face Tampa at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the first of what they hope is two title games. Tampa is still undefeated in the tournament, meaning the Indians have to take down the Spartans twice to claim the title. One win for Tampa secures the national title for the second time in three years.
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