Hendrix falls 8-3 to Pomona-Pitzer in NCAA Regionals; Ward Picks up Career Hit #200

Hendrix falls 8-3 to Pomona-Pitzer in NCAA Regionals; Ward Picks up Career Hit #200

(Story taken from the Hendrix College website)

MCMINNVILLE, Ore. - Hendrix College out-hit Pomona-Pitzer 11-8, however, three defensive errors by the Warriors proved to be costly as the Sagehens put five unearned runs across the plate to hand Hendrix an 8-3 loss in game one of the 2009 NCAA Division III West Regional on Thursday afternoon at Roy Helser Field. Box Score I Tournament website

The Warriors (22-22 overall) fall to the loser's bracket and will now take on the loser of game two between No. 2 Texas-Tyler (38-10) and No. 5 Chapman (26-14) on Friday at 12 p.m PT.

Pomona-Pitzer's sophomore RHP David Colvin opened the game with a three up, three down top half of the first.

Hendrix's first year RHP Teddy Smoyer (Simi Valley, Calif./H.S.) started the game by hitting the first batter before junior 2B James Kang doubled to left to score senior SS Brandon Huerta. Senior 1B Drew Hedman followed with a single to right field, scoring Huerta to give the Sagehens an early 2-0 lead after the first inning.

The Warriors answered with their first run of the game in the second inning when sophomore 1B Jeff Forgerson (Simi Valley, Calif./H.S.) blasted a lead-off homer 410 feet over the center field fence, clearing the 25 ft. tall batter's eye behind the fence. The homer was Forgerson's 11th of the season and breaks his single-season record tie with senior CF Daniel Ward (Tacoma, Wash./Washington H.S.).

Pomona-Pitzer added one run to its advantage in the third inning to bring the score to 3-1. Kang was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning before Hedman and senior CF Zachary Mandelblatt reached to load the bases with no outs. Smoyer managed to work his way out of the jam with just one run by forcing a double play up the middle and a line out to left field.

Hendrix made it a 3-2 ballgame in the fourth frame when Forgerson walked, advanced to second on a grounder to the pitcher and raced home on senior C David Foley's (The Colony, Texas/H.S.) base knock to right center.

Pomona-Pitzer opened the game up by plating five unearned runs on two hits and three errors in the bottom half of the fourth. The first three batters of the inning reached on a hit-by-pitch, catcher's interference and an error on the first baseman.

Both teams were held scoreless over the fifth and sixth innings before the Warriors scored their final run of the game in seventh. Foley, sophomore DH Brad Grinstead (Craig, Colo./Moffat Cty. H.S.) and first year 3B Kyle Raskin (Simi Valley, Calif./H.S.) led off the inning with back-to-back-to-back singles to juice the bases. Junior SS Matt Gaglio (Kirkwood, Mo./H.S.) sent Foley plateward on a grounder to the pitcher. First year 2B Clark Sims (N. Little Rock, Ark./H.S.) and Ward ended the threat with groundouts.

The Sagehen's held the Warriors off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game to take the 8-3 final mark. It looked as if Hendrix might piece together a ninth-inning rally when senior PH Matt Giza (Twentynine Palms, Calif./H.S.) led off with a single to center field. However, Gaglio followed with a strike out and Giza was gunned down at third on Sims' single through the right side.

Ward entered today's game just one hit shy of the 200 career hit club and had gone 0-for-4 as he stepped to the plate with two outs in the ninth inning. He finally reached the milestone with a line drive to right field and was given the game ball for his significant accomplishment.

Smoyer tossed the 8.0 inning complete game and falls to 3-5 on the season. He allowed eight hits, eight runs (3 earned), walked five and struck out none.

Colvin picked up the win and improved to 8-0 after 8.0 innings of action, one walk and three strikeouts. Kang moved from second base to the mound in the ninth inning and closed the door after allowing three hits and striking out one.

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