Missouri Baptist will be making their first-ever trip to the National Championship tournament. They defeated defending champion Tennessee Wesleyan 4-3 (19 innings) in the “if necessary” game of the Kingsport bracket. The Spartans led 3-1 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, and starter Ethan Gibbons held the Bulldogs to seven hits over the first eight innings; the only run he allowed was on a wild pitch. The Spartans got a run in the fourth on an RBI single by C Garrett Vail, and two runs in the seventh on a home run by DH Joe Stropp. Gibbons got two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, but the next two batters got base hits. The next batter hit a ground ball to second that should have ended the game, but it was bobbled, and a run scored. The Bulldogs sent it into extra innings with an RBI single by CF Travis Burnside.
The Bulldogs left the winning run on third in the bottom of the tenth and 15th. The Spartans left the bases loaded in the top of the 12th, and left runers on second in the tenth, 13th, 14th, and 16th innings. The Spartans got the winning run when SS Patrick Johnson opened the 19th with a single, went to second on a walk, and was bunted to third. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Vail.
The Spartans used only two pitchers over the final ten innings. Julien Soucy went four innings, allowed two hits, walked three. Matt Marsh, who got the win, went six innings, allowed three hits, struck out six. The Bulldogs used six pitchers. Noah Piard pitched the ninth to 11th innings, allowed one hit, struck out four. Corey Rhoney pitched the 12th through 16h innings, allowed six hits, struck out five. Tyler Wilson pitched the final three innings, allowed only Johnson's hit, and struck out three. He walked two (one intentional), and got the loss (story).
Gibbons, a senior right-hander, is 10-0, 2.09 ERA, with 85 strikeouts.
Missouri Baptist is located in Saint Louis, has 1,169 undergraduates (1,362 graduates) on its main campus. They field teams in 24 sports. They will be one of four teams making their first-ever appearance in the National Championship tournament.
Faulkner will, along with Lee, represent the Southern States Athletic Conference in Lewiston, and the Eagles will be making their second trip to Lewiston; the first was in 2011. They defeated Texas Wesleyan 14-2, before a crowd of 400. They lead 3-2 after three innings, but broke the game open with six runs in the top of the sixth; the first two runs were walked in, and DH Michael Cruz hit a two-RBI single. The Eagles added four more runs in the eighth.
Starter Johnny Shuttlesworth got the win. He went 5 1/3 innings, allowed one earned run on three hits, struck out five. Brad Griffis and Lyndon Eusea went the rest of the way. Rams starter Sam Martin lasted only three innings, gave up three runs on four hits. This was his first loss of the season, and he finished with a record of 12-1, 2.47 ERA, and 49 strikeouts. Shuttlesworth is now 14-1, 1.19 ERA, with 93 strikeouts.
2B Luis Sanchez went 5-for-6 with a home run and tree RBI for the Eagles.