WINCHESTER, Va. – No. 3/3 Shenandoah University eliminated Immaculata University from the 2023 NCAA Division III Winchester Regional with an 11-7 victory Saturday morning.
Shenandoah (39-18) jumped out to a 10-0 lead over the Mighty Macs (29-20) before Immaculata roared back with a seven-run eighth.
IN DEPTH
Leading 10-6 with runners on the corners and one out, Hornets skipper
Kevin Anderson turned to senior reliever
Kyle Lisa to snuff out the IU threat.
Lisa struck out the first hitter he faced, and after Immaculata scored a run on a double steal, got another strike out to end the frame. In the ninth, he worked around a two-on, one-out jam with a 1-6-3 double play.
The twin-killing was one of five Shenandoah turned on the day.
The Hornets took a lead they would not relinquish with a run in the second followed by four in the fifth and four more in the sixth. Catcher
Brody Pickette, who homered to lead off the sixth, drove in the first run with a double to right center in the second. He brought home
Ryan Clawson, who led off the frame with a single to left center and moved to second on a wild pitch.
SU scored four runs in the fifth on four hits with the first three hitters reaching base on bunt singles. Clawson had a two-run, two-out triple down the right field line to plate the final two runs of the inning.
Colby Martin,
Pearce Bucher, and
Haden Madagan all drove in runs in the sixth.
Hornets starter
Jacob Faivre (7-1) went the first seven innings and allowed four runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out eight.
Stephen DiBatista (5-3) took the loss for the Macs. He gave up five runs (three earned) on nine hits and 4 2/3 innings.
Eight of the nine hitters in the SU lineup hit safely with Martin, Clawson, and
Frankie Ritter all getting three hits each. Ritter's double to left in the sixth was the 275
th of his career, breaking the SU all-time record previously held by Greg Van Sickler '11.
Josh Crowding had three hits and two RBI for Immaculata.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Pickette's home run traveled 402' and had an exit velocity of 102 mph.
- The 39 wins this season is the second-most in program history after the 41-win campaign in 2017.
UP NEXT
Shenandoah takes on the loser of the Christopher Newport vs The College of New Jersey game at 8:30 tonight in the loser's bracket final.
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