KINGSPORT, Tenn. (May 13, 2019) – The No. 19 Webber International University baseball team defeated Mid-South Conference Tournament winner Campbellsville University 5-2 inside Hunter Wright Stadium on day one of the 2019 NAIA National Championship Opening Round – Kingsport Bracket.
Webber (37-20) scored a run in three consecutive innings beginning in the bottom of the second to tie the game and then took the lead for good in the bottom of the third.
After Campbellsville (31-19) scored the first run of the game with a solo home run to lead off the second inning, Webber answered to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom half of the second as
Quirino Esquivel singled to shortstop with one out and later scored on a two-out, RBI-knock down the right field line by
Cristian Rivera.
In the bottom of the third, Webber took its first lead of the contest after another single to shortstop, this time a leadoff hit by
Carlos Pino before pinch runner
Hunter Jones ultimately came around to score with one out on a wild pitch.
Webber added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning with a two-out rally as Rivera singled to left for his second hit of the game in two at bats and then scored all the way from first on a single by Pino through the hole at second base.
The Warriors tacked on two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth as
Carlo Mancillas led off with a single up the middle and scored on an error before Pino singled up the middle as well for his third hit of the game in three at bats to score
Rougie Odor and make it a 5-1 Warriors' lead at the time.
Pino finished 3-for-4 overall with two RBI's while Rivera was 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI and a walk and Esquivel was 2-for-4.
On the mound, it was a second straight great performance for starter
Ricardo Garcia (4-4), who coming off a complete game performance against Warner University during the final day of The Sun Conference Championship last time out, nearly went the distance on a huge stage again on Monday before exiting with two outs in the top of the eighth.
Garcia finished with 7.2 innings of work allowing eight hits and four walks with the only two runs against him each coming via solo homers to left field in the second and seventh innings.
After two quick outs to start off the eighth, back-to-back walks by Garcia followed by another from
Gerig Blackman loaded the bases for Campbellsville, but fortunately a ground ball to Mancillas at short got the Warriors out of the inning.
Then, in the top of the ninth, Blackman allowed a leadoff single to center followed by a walk to bring the tying run to the plate with nobody out. However, Blackman dug down deep and induced a fly out to
Willie Carter in left followed by a 6-4-3 double play to end it and earn his team-best third save of the season.
Facing a two-run deficit in the top of the fifth, the Tigers put runners on second and third with one out after a sacrifice bunt, but a fly out to Carter in left field kept the runners where they were, and then with the bases loaded, an incredible diving stop behind third base and a strong throw across the diamond to first by Rivera got Garcia and the Warriors' defense out of the inning.
Webber's Head Baseball Coach
Brad Niethammer said, "Ricky gave us a good start and Cristian and Pino had some big hits. It was a good win and a good way to start the opening round. On to the next one tomorrow."
The win for Webber, the No. 2 seed in the Kingsport bracket, over the No. 3 seed, Campbellsville, propels the Warriors into another 2:30 p.m. game tomorrow on Tuesday, May 14, where the winner will earn a spot in the Kingsport bracket championship game. The Warriors will meet up with the winner between top-seeded and No. 2-nationally ranked Tennessee Wesleyan University and No. 4-seeded Madonna University (Mich.), which finishes up the first day of action on Monday night.
