Chillicothe, Ohio - DePauw's late comeback came up short as top-ranked Denison defeated the Tigers, 5-3, in game 3 of the North Coast Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament.
DePauw dropped to 28-12 and faces the winner of this afternoon's elimination game between Wittenberg and John Carroll. Denison advanced to the championship round while improving to 39-1.
The Big Red reached the board first as Andrew Fazio led off with a double and moved to third when Bobby Haarde reached on an error of his sacrifice bunt. Haarde stole second and Eron Vega's sacrifice fly plated Fazio.
Denison made it 3-0 in the fourth Tristan Kerr reached on a two-out error and Fazio followed with a two-run blast to left. Jack Lutte's solo shot in the fifth expanded the lead to 4-0.
DePauw reached the board in the sixth as
Tyler Walkey singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on
Aidan Howard's fly out.
Max Bond followed with a ground that scored Walkey and cut the Denison lead lead to 4-1.
Fazio and Haarde singled with one out in the sixth before Vega reached on a fielder's choice which forced Haarde at second. Lutte then singled through the right side with Fazio scoring to make it 5-1.
Bryson Dorsey singled to start the DePauw eighth and moved to second on Howard's single. Bond doubled home Dorsey before
Grady Johnson followed with a grounder that brought home Howard. A ground out ended the Tigers' threat.Â
Bond and Walkey each had two of DePauw's eight hits. Lutte and Fazio had three hits apiece and Kelly Crittenberger finished with two of the Big Red's 11 hits.
Pearse Riendeau dropped to 6-2 after striking out five with just one walk in six innings. Will Rettig improved to 11-0 after striking out four and not allowing a walk. Ryan Paganelis pitched a scoreless ninth to record his first save.
