Box Score WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Second-seeded Thomas More trailed 6-0 after four and half innings, but roared back to earn a 9-6 PAC Baseball Tournament victory over top-seeded Washington & Jefferson on Friday afternoon at Ross Memorial Park.
Thomas More (22-17) moved one game away from its third PAC baseball title as they will play for that championship Saturday at 1:00 pm. W&J (28-14) will play the winner of the Waynesburg-Bethany game tonight at 6:00 pm in an elimination game.
The Presidents built the 6-0 lead behind the hitting of
Nick Vento, who blasted a solo homer in the first and a two-run shot in the fourth.
Kyle Smith plated two runs with a two-out single in the third inning and
Kyle McLain added a RBI single in the fourth for the Presidents' sixth run.
Craig Hyson started the TMC rally with a lead off homer in the bottom of the fourth. Brad Popham's RBI single later in the inning made it a 6-2 game.
The Saints scored four times in the fifth inning to tie the game and then took their first lead with two runs in the sixth. Hyson brought home the first run, while Travis Miller tacked on a sacrifice fly. A squeeze bunt in the seventh added an insurance run.
Logan Miller hung tough for the Saints and earned the win to improve to 7-2 on the mound. He scattered 14 hits and struck out just one batter in seven innings of work. Andy Roenker allowed one hit and fanned two in the final two frames for his sixth save.
Mike Vizzini (2-2) suffered the loss in relief for W&J, allowing two runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings. He entered the game for starter
Brian O'Neill, who gave up six runs on seven hits (3 BB, 1 K) in 4 2/3 innings.
Ronny Peirish had three hits to lead the Presidents' offense, while Josh Stanisicia, McLain and Smith all had a pair of hits.