NCAA® 2007 DIVISION III BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
WEST REGION

GAME 2
#3 Texas Lutheran 4, #6 Pomona-Pitzer 3

TEXAS LUTHERAN WINS IN THE NINTH TO OVERCOME POMONA-PITZER RALLY

ORANGE, Calif. - Jacob Kaase's one-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth gave Texas Lutheran University a 4-3 win over Pomona-Pitzer Colleges at the NCAA Division III Baseball West Region championships at Hart Park on Wednesday afternoon. The Bulldogs had surrendered a 3-0 lead in the top of the inning, but recovered for the win.

Texas Lutheran (36-8-1), the No. 3 seed in the tournament, advances into the winner's bracket and will face the winner of No. 2 Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) and No. 7 Austin College (Texas) on Thursday at 1 p.m.

Senior RHP Daniel Besa set down 24 of first 27 batters he faced and took a two-hitter into the ninth, but only retired a batter in the inning. Pomona-Pitzer (29-12) rallied for three runs on three hits in the inning. Pomona's James Kang had the big hit, a two-run double to tie the game. Kang was stranded on third with two outs as Texas Lutheran RHP Robert Conley pitched the final two outs.

The Bulldogs built their lead scoring single runs in the first, sixth and seventh innings on 10 hits. Jacob Kaase and Scott Matocha had RBI singles and Matt Moore drove home TLU's second run with a sacrifice fly. Jason Foley was 2-for-2 and reach base in all four plate appearances (two walks).

Starting LHP Zach Mandelblatt (8-2) got no-decision for No. 6 Pomona-Pitzer (29-12), limiting the powerful Bulldogs offense to just two earned runs in eight innings. The Sagehens will face the loser of the Pacific Lutheran/Austin game on Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in an elimination game.

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Game stats available online:
/athletics/06-07/baseball/regionals/game2.htm