CARY, N.C. (June 6, 2022) – Led by a stellar pitching performance from
Justin Alintoff, the 20th-ranked and sixth-seeded Rollins baseball team stayed alive at the NCAA II National Championship with a 3-2 victory over Illinois Springfield at the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina on Monday afternoon. With the win, the Tars advance to play Wednesday against the loser of Monday night's contest between second-seeded Point Loma and third-seeded Southern Arkansas, while Illinois Springfield is eliminated from the tournament with the loss.
Joey Rubin went 2-for-4 with a run scored and
Jeslyn Whitehead finished 2-for-4 for the Tars.
Cameron Meehan was 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and
Nick Santucci went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
Justin Alintoff (8-5) got the win, tossing seven shutout innings with just six hits and no walks allowed, striking out eight.
Austin Long secured his 10th save of the season, surrendering two runs on one hit in two innings of relief, striking out a pair.
Hunter Phelps went 2-for-3 with a double and Zion Pettigrew was 1-for-4 with a two-run home run for the Prairie Stars. Cameron Zunkel (5-1) took the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits in three innings, picking up one strikeout against no walks.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Inning
- Rubin and Chase Achuff opened the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles, setting up runners on the corners with nobody out.
- Adams Torres drove in Rubin with a sacrifice fly to get the Tars on the board early.
Second Inning
- The Tars threatened for more in the second, loading the bases on a Jared Herron double, a Rubin infield single, and an Achuff hit-by-pitch. But UIS was able to get out of the jam, holding the score at 1-0.
Third Inning
- Santucci singled with one out in the third and Meehan followed up by launching an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall, increasing the Tars' lead to 3-0.
Fifth Inning
- Illinois Springfield put together three straight two-out singles to load the bases in the fifth, but Alintoff was able to get a huge strikeout to leave all three runners stranded.
Eighth Inning
- The Prairie Stars got on the board in the eighth on a two-run homer off the bat of Pettigrew, trimming the lead to 3-2.
- Rollins looked to answer back, using a single, walk, and a defensive miscue on a fielder's choice to load the bases with nobody out.
- UIS was once again able to wiggle out of the situation, leaving the bases loaded.
Ninth Inning
- Long only needed to throw six pitches in the ninth to set down Illinois Springfield 1-2-3, notching the save and keeping the Tars in the tournament.
UP NEXT:
The Tars will have a day off before returning to the field on Wednesday, June 8 for a 1:30 p.m. elimination game against the loser of Monday night's contest between fourth-ranked and second-seeded Point Loma and eighth-ranked and third-seeded Southern Arkansas.
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