RSC Communications
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – The No. 18-ranked IU Southeast baseball team outscored Point Park, 19-2, over the final seven innings to defeat the Pioneers and claim their second-straight River States Conference Championship title and an automatic berth in the NAIA Baseball National Championship Opening Round.
Point Park (37-14) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Gianmarco Marcelletti singled to score Luis Hernandez. Marcelletti came around to score on a throwing error.
Brody Tanksley got the Grenadiers on the board in the third inning when he continued his hot hitting with a solo home run to center, his 13th of the season. Ben Berenda followed two batters later when he hit his third home run of the year to right which tied the game.
Trevor MacDonald singled to center and moved to second on a bobble by the centerfielder Jared Campbell. Brandon Boxer was able to score from first on the play to give the Grenadiers the lead.
IU Southeast (39-13) loaded the bases in the fifth inning and blew the game open with a five-run inning. Marco Romero scored on a passed ball. Then Daunte DeCello hit a grand slam to left to extend the Grenadier lead to 9-2.
Point Park got a run back in the top of the sixth but IU Southeast answered in the bottom of the inning when Tanksley hit his second home run of the game to left.
Blake Cook scored on a fielder’s choice and Boxer scored on a wild pitch later in the inning.
In the seventh, Marco Romero drove in Trevor Campbell with a RBI single, Blake Cook knocked in John Ullom with a RBI groundout.
Trevor MacDonald capped off the inning with a RBI double.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Grenadier offense tacked on four more runs. After an error and two walks loaded the bases, Tyler Mills hit a two-run single to left to score Clay Woeste and Daunte DeCello.
Ben Berenda followed with another single which drove in Mills and Romero.
Marco Romero and Ben Berenda each had three hits, Daunte DeCello drove in five and scored twice. Marco Romero and Trevor Campbell each had three hits.
Hunter Kloke (11-3) got the win in five innings of relief. He allowed two runs on three hits, walked two and struck out six, including his 100th strikeout this season.
IU Southeast will learn its NAIA Opening Round site and opponents Thursday night at 5 p.m. ET during the NAIA Baseball National Championship Selection Show.