A-Sun title to Dolphins

BEACON PHOTO/ROGER GILMORE
A-Sun Jacksonville Dolphins celebrate baseball championship.

By Roger Gilmore
BEACON SPORTS EDITOR

posted May 28, 2009 - 10:04:38am

From double-elimination to single-elimination and only five games, the 2009 Atlantic Sun Conference Baseball Championship Tournament finally went into the books here Sunday morning on Melching Field at Conrad Park, with the Jacksonville University Dolphins scoring three times in the top of the ninth inning for a 7-4 triumph over the Lipscomb University Bisons.

The Bisons were the defending A-Sun champions, while the Dolphins had won the crown in 2007. An extended week of rain played havoc with the format of the tournament, with several tough decisions forced upon the tournament officials. A special tip of the hat to all those who worked hard to make the tournament a reality.

Lipscomb (24-32) held a 4-3 lead after six innings, but Jacksonville tied things in the seventh with a run, and then won it in the ninth, highlighted by a two-run homer by Alex Martinez

Jacksonville (36-20) advances to the NCAA Gainesville regional tournament, where they will face the University of Miami Hurricanes (36-20) at 1 p.m. Friday. The 6:30 p.m. game will feature the nearby Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats (32-26) going up against the Florida Gators (39-20). The tournament is slated to run through Monday.

The Dolphins managed only seven hits, with 10 walks and four hit batters helping. Martinez also singled, and Thomas Myers also homered and singled. The Bisons had only five hits, with four going for extra bases. Justin Sanders homered, Ryan Wilkins tripled, and Allen Bolden and Logan Hostettler doubled.

Matt Loosen (4-1), the fifth pitcher for the Dolphins, picked up the win, while Matt Bowling (1-2), the third of five Lipscomb hurlers, took the loss.

Earlier games

To reach the championship game, Lipscomb pushed home a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to slip past the East Tennessee State University Bucs, 5-4, while Jacksonville held off the Belmont University Bruins in the ninth, 7-5.

Lipscomb carried a 4-0 lead into the seven inning, with ace southpaw Rex Brothers allowing just three hits over five innings, with two walks and six strikeouts. Josh Smith (6-4) picked up the win in relief, and then hurled the first five-and-a-third innings of the title game.

For the Bisons, it was Wilkins and Antonio Butler heading the 13-hit attack, with a double and a pair of singles each. Sanders and Branden Cadavid each poked a pair of one-baggers.

The Bucs put a pair of runs on the scoreboard in both the seventh and eighth innings, before losing it in the ninth. Chris Rankhorn stroked a trio of one-baggers, and Bo Reeder and Troy Mendez each singled twice, closing out at 25-28.

Jacksonville led, 7-3, after seventh inning over Belmont (29-29), when the Bruins tallied once in the eighth and ninth innings, to apply the pressure. Jeremy Gillan paced the winners with a double and a pair of singles, and Kyle Fleming and Chuck Opachich each singled twice.

Dylan Craig doubled and singled for Belmont, and Packy Elkins singled twice.

The hosting Stetson University Hatters and Mercer University Bears were eliminated in the first two games of the tournament.

— info@beacononlinenews.com

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