D2 Baseball Notes: News and Stories from the Week (2/13–2/19)
Atlantic Region:
Cal U (PA) Starts 3–0, scores 48 runs
Cal U (PA)’s offense was HOT in the cold Pennsylvania weather, as they scored 48 total runs in 3 games, winning 12–6 on Friday, 21–7 on Saturday, and 15–5 on Sunday.
Eight of their ten total starters hit .300 or better over the weekend, including four players (Soph. Nathan Meeks, Soph. Ryan Callahan, Soph. Santino Marra, and Sr. Colby Rockacy) who each hit .500 or better.
Central Region:
Crazy Doubleheader ends with both teams scoring 26 runs in each game
In a Midweek doubleheader between the University of Mary (UMary) and Southern Nazarene, 76 total runs were scored, as UMary won the first game 26–14, while Southern Nazarene turned around and won game two 26–10
UMary set a record for most runs (26), most home runs (9), most hits (24), and most RBI (25) in a single game.
Both teams had an inning where they scored 13+ runs! (14 in the 4th inning of Game 1 by UMary, 13 in the 2nd inning of Game 2 by Southern Nazarene)
Legendary Baseball Coach Announces Retirement at Year End
Southwest Minnesota State head coach Paul Blanchard announced his retirement via Twitter, as one of the most renowned head coaches will retire at season’s end after 27 years at the helm for the Mustangs. Blanchard has coached a total of 38 years.
Midwest Region:
UIndy opens up with 62 runs over the weekend
The ball was flying all over the yard at Greyhound Park, as the UIndy Greyhounds scored a total of 62 runs in their first 3 games. Matter of fact, their offense hit just a total of 18 innings, as all 3 games went 7 innings! UIndy hit .454 on the weekend.
Drew Donaldson led the way, going 10 for 15 with a double, triple, home run, and 10 runs batted in.
Southeast Region:
Lincoln Memorial posts best start in school history
Talk about a start. Lincoln Memorial (LMU) has started off their season 10–0 after a sweep of Trevecca Nazarene.
It is the Railsplitter’s first time in school history going 10–0 to start the season, as their last 10 game win-streak was Mar 12- Mar 22, 2019 where they won 11 straight.
LMU’s offense has been led by the trio of Sophomore Carson Boles, Junior Ryan Kurth, and Senior Andrew Keene. All of whom are hitting over .300 with an OPS over 1.000.
Pitching for the Railsplitters has been led by Senior Patrick Queener, who is 2–0 with a 0.69 ERA in 13 innings this season.
#18 UNC Pembroke Sweeps #14 Belmont Abbey at Home
Maybe the premier series of the weekend, as UNCP Braves and Belmont Abbey Crusaders both entered Conference Carolinas play unbeaten. UNCP came out on top, as a matter of fact, they went 3–0 against the Crusaders.
Soph. Ethan Ott led the way offensively for the Braves, as he recorded 2 hits in each of the three games with a home run and 4 runs batted in.
Meanwhile, in the first game of the doubleheader, Senior Branden Kunz threw a 2-hit shutout, striking out an impressive 14 batters, including 9 of the first 10 batters he faced.
South Central Region:
West Texas A&M and St. Edward’s were as advertised
Featured in both the Top Games of the Weekend and D2 wizard Wayne Cavadi’s article, the 3 game series between RV West Texas A&M Buffaloes (WTAMU) and #15 St. Edward’s Hilltoppers was no short of exciting, as 3 or the 4 games were settled by 2 runs or less, ending in a series split.
Sr. Ryan Johnson gave the Buffaloes the go-ahead run in the 11th of Game 1 of the series to win 5–4.
Sr. Isaac Keehn threw a 4-hit shutout for WTAMU in Game 2 of the series to win 2–0.
Soph. Luke Johnson hit a 3-run home run and Jr. Luke Short strikes out 12 for the Hilltoppers in Game 3 to win 8–1.
Johnson and So. Lance Little each hit a 3-run home run as St. Edward’s wins the final game of the series 8–7, but suspense was in order, as West Texas A&M scored 7 in the Top of the Ninth to make it a one-run game.
West Region:
Cal St Dominguez Hills throws three straight shutouts, including a no-hitter
Cal State Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) had a terrific weekend, going 4–0 and allowing just 4 runs. Those 4 runs came in the first game of the series, as the Toros posted back-to-back-to-back shutouts, including a no-hitter thrown by Nico Martinez.
The staff over the weekend had great command, as CSUDH struck out 40 batters and walked just 6.
