CARY, N.C. — The East Stroudsburg University baseball team defeated No. 7 seed Northwood, 9-6, on a walk-off grand slam by senior
Jack Rothenhausler on Sunday evening at the USA Baseball National Training Complex, earning the program's first-ever win at the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.
Just one week after the Warriors (41-15) captured their first Atlantic Super Regional title, highlighted by an extra-inning grand slam from
Dennis Pierce, ESU delivered another dramatic finish. This time, Rothenhausler's blast in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Warriors to victory.
Northwood (40-22), which was making its first-ever appearance at the DII Baseball Championship, saw its historic season come to an end with the loss.
Notables
Jack Rothenhausler played the hero, delivering a walk-off grand slam to keep ESU's season alive. He finished the game with two hits and four RBIs.
Connor Reilly also homered, launching a game-tying two-run shot in the fourth inning.
Jackson Rutecki recorded his first back-to-back multi-hit games as a Warrior, driving in two runs in each of the last two games.
Shanley Wall tied his season high with three hits, including an RBI, and also reached base with a walk.
Chaise Albus continued his hot streak at the plate, reaching base four times on two hits and two walks.
Ryan Dewees (1.2 innings),
Johansel Brito (1.1 innings),
Peyton Brannock (2.0 innings), and
Caden Parker (1.0 innings) combined for six innings allowing zero earned runs, and striking out four on 88 pitches. Brito set a single season school record with his 28th appearance when he entered to get the last out in the fifth inning.
How it happened
Entering the bottom of the fourth inning, Northwood held a 4-0 lead. Rothenhausler got the rally started with a single, advancing to third on a double by
Parker Frey. On an 0-1 pitch, Rutecki delivered his first hit of the day, a two-run single, to pull ESU within two. On the very next pitch, Reilly tied the game with a two-run home run. The Warriors took a 5-4 lead later in the inning on an RBI single from Wall that scored
Easton Albert.
The lead was short-lived, as Northwood responded with two runs in the top of the fifth to go ahead 6-5. With two outs and the bases loaded, reliever Brito entered the game and got the final out to limit the damage.
Brito returned in the sixth, followed by Brannock and
Caden Parker, who combined to hold the Timberwolves scoreless the rest of the way.
In the ninth, Pierce, Wall and Albus all reached base to bring up Rothenhausler, who crushed a 1-1 pitch to left field for a walk-off grand slam, sealing ESUs first-ever win at the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.
Up next
The Warriors will play again at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, against the loser of the Lenoir-Rhyne vs. Central Missouri game, which is being played Sunday night.
