The Basics
Score: MNU 7 - LSU-Shreveport 6
Records: MNU (34-26), LSUS (47-10)
Location: Pilot Field | Shreveport, La.
SHREVEPORT, La. - The 4-seed Pioneers beat 1-seed and #2-ranked LSU-Shreveport 7-6 on Thursday to advance to the Avista NAIA World Series. This marks the second time in as many years and the second time in program history that MNU reached the World Series.
MNU took the first lead on a 2-out RBI double from
Javier Melendez in the top of the 3rd, but the Pilots tied it on a Pioneer error in the bottom of the inning. LSU-S took the lead on a solo homer in the bottom of the 4th, but MNU rallied to tie it in the 5th.
Sean Maple led off with a double, and Melendez knocked him in with a chopper to third to tie the game. The Pilots regained control by rallying for 3 two-out runs in the bottom of the 5th, but MNU responded right away. Two walks and a double loaded the bases with no outs, and Maple hit a sacrifice fly ahead of a
Brycen Sherwood RBI single to close the deficit to 6-5. In the top of the 7th, MNU had runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs, and pinch hitter
Frank Vogel served a single to center to tie the game at 6.
The Pilots threatened to blow the game open in the 8th when a leadoff single was followed by an RBI double and a walk. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners up, but a back-to-back groundouts ended the threat and sent MNU to the 9th trailing by a run.
Brysen Hamilton led off with a double down the line, and
Drew Woodley's fly to right dropped near a diving outfielder's glove for a double, but Hamilton could only advance to 3rd as he was tagging up.
Joey Calamaio followed with a hard 1-hopper to 3rd, and the runners were forced to hold. A strikeout kept the runners at bay and put MNU on the brink, but
Sean Maple kept the season alive with a rocket single to left to tie the game. After an intentional walk to Sherwood (who hit .471 with 3 homers and 6 RBIs this week) loaded the bases, an unintentional walk to Melendez brought home the go-ahead run.
LSU-S made some noise in the 9th, when back-to-back 1-out singles put the tying run at 2nd. But a lineout to right field produced the second out, and a grounder to short sent MNU to Lewiston.
Turning Point
Sean Maple's game-tying single set up
Javier Melendez' 2-out bases-loaded walk in the 9th.
Individual Leaders
Reece Helland picked up the win with 2.0 innings of scoreless relief. And
Sean Maple (2-4, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, HBP, SF),
Brycen Sherwood (2-5, RBI, BB),
Javier Melendez (2-5, 2B, 3 RBI, BB), and
Drew Woodley (2-3, 2 R, 2B, BB) had big games at the plate.
Up Next
The Pioneers await their seeding and matchup in the Avista NAIA Baseball World Series.
