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Box Score 2 (CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – The top-seeded Thomas More College baseball team had to defeat fourth-seeded Washington & Jefferson College twice today (Saturday, May 9, 2015) to win the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championship Tournament. The Saints fell short as they defeated W&J 7-4, in the first game, but fell 17-5 in the second game at Thomas More Field in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the loss, the Saints fall to 30-12 and with the win, the Presidents improve to 28-15 and win the conference's automatic bid to next week's NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
In the first game of the day, the game was tied 4-4 after seven innings as the Saints scored two in the first, one in the fourth and one in the fifth, while W&J scored one in the third and three in the seventh. In the top of the eighth, junior designated hitter Donovan Pogue (Sharonville, Ohio/St. Xavier) hit a three-run home run and W&J couldn't answer to win the game 7-4 and force the "if necessary" game.
At the plate, Pogue was three-for-five with a home run, three runs batted-in and two runs scored and sophomore right fielder Ben Kenning (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) was three-for-five with a double, a RBI and a run scored. Three other Saints had multiple hits in the game as freshman third baseman Bailey Abbatiello (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) was two-for-four with a double, one RBI and one runs scored, senior first baseman Nick Connor (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) was two-for-five with two runs scored and senior catcher Brad Popham (Edgewood, Ky./Dixie Heights) was two-for-four with a double and a RBI.
On the mound, freshman pitcher Jayson Essell (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) had a no decision as he pitched six innings giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits and struck out one. Sophomore pitcher Ken Ruberg (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) earned the win as he pitched three shutout innings of relief and didn't allow a hit, while striking out one.
In the second game of the day, W&J scored four runs in the fourth, six in the fifth, five in the eighth and two in the ninth, while Thomas More plated three runs in the first, one in the fourth and one in the seventh for the 17-5 victory.
Four Saints had multiple hits in the game as Connor was three-for-five with a double and two runs scored, Pogue was two-for-five with a double, a RBI and a run scored, Popham was two-for-four with a double and two RBI and junior shortstop Marcus Woelfel (Harrison, Ohio/Harrison) was two-for-four.
Ruberg made an appearance in the game set the new Thomas More single-season appearance record with 23. The previous mark was 21, which was held by Grant Lewis and David Etscheid.
