CARY, N.C. – Fifth-seeded Cal State San Bernardino tacked up a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning to take its third lead of the afternoon, but fourth-seeded Rollins countered with four-straight runs, and held off a ninth-inning rally to post a 10-8 victory over the 'Yotes and punch its ticket to Saturday's national championship round at the NCAA Division II Championships. The Tars now stand at 42-18 on the season.
San Bernardino jumped out to an early lead on Tars' starter
Nick Berger, tagging him for two runs on three hits in the first. Rollins has played from behind seemingly all year, and they once again erased the deficit quickly.
Joey Rubin led off with a single, and then stole second. After
Jeslyn Whitehead bunted for a base hit,
Ryan Coleman ripped a laser off the wall in right to plate both runners and tie the game.
Both teams scored in the second as well. The Coyotes got theirs on a groundout, while Rollins countered with a Whitehead single that drove in
Jimmy Thies.
Berger held is foe scoreless in the top of the third, and then received his first lead of the day in the bottom half when
Parker Smith drove in
Cameron Meehan on a groundball, followed by a Rubin base knock that scored Smith.
Again, CSU failed to score in the fourth. Rollins countered by scoring for the fourth straight inning, courtesy of a Meehan single that brought in Coleman, who had doubled off the wall in center previously.
The Coyotes chased Berger from the game after opening the fifth with a walk and three singles, scoring twice.
Ryan Murphy was called on out of the bullpen, and was flawless in escaping the jam with a flyout and two strikeouts.
San Bernardino then retook the lead in the sixth when a costly two-out error from Rollins allowed two runs to come in, making it 7-6. Unphased, Rollins was ready to answer back. Whitehead walked, and moved to third on another Coleman double. Meehan was up next, and he promptly drove a 1-2 pitch into left-center to put Rollins up 8-7.
Murphy cruised through the seventh and eighth innings, setting down all six batters he saw. The Tars received a massive insurance boost in the bottom of the eighth when Coleman annihilated a breaking ball over the right field wall to make it 10-7.
San Bernardino threatened in the ninth when the first two batters were hit by a pitch. One run came in to score on a groundout, but Murphy then locked in for another groundout that clinched a berth in the championship round for Rollins.
Coleman was the star on offense, finishing the day 4-5 with two doubles, a home run, three runs and four RBI. Meehan added three hits and three RBI, while Rubin and Whitehead each had two hits.
Murphy earned the win in relief, tossing five innings while allowing just three hits, walking none, and striking out four.
Rollins advances to Saturday's national championship matchup against third-seeded Angelo State, though the Tars will have to down ASU twice in order to collect the sport's ultimate crown. Saturday's title bout is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., with a possible "if necessary" game slated to take place approximately 45 minutes following the conclusion of the first matchup. Friday's setback marked the end of the 2023 season for Cal State San Bernardino (46-19) who staved off elimination in three-straight contests before falling to Rollins.
