TIGERS ROLL PAST FERRUM, 16-7, EN ROUTE TO DIVISION III BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Game Box Score

SALISBURY, MD—Hampden-Sydney’s baseball team scored a season high 16 runs to go with a season high 25 hits en route to defeating Ferrum College, 16-7, in the championship contest of the 2005 NCAA Division III Baseball South Regional, earning the team’s first-ever bid to the Division III Baseball Championship Series in the process. With the win, the Tigers improve to 27-13 overall and extend their season-best winning streak to nine games. Ferrum closes out its season with a 23-14-1 overall record.

Hampden-Sydney’s John Schoenholtz (Dhahran, Saudia Arabia/McCallie) pitched seven and one-third innings and allowed one run on five hits while walking two and striking out four as he ran his record to 11-1 on the year. Meanwhile, all nine hitters in the Tiger lineup had at least one hit, led by John Apperson (Lynchburg, VA/Heritage) and Todd Harrell (Chesapeake, VA/Nansemond-Suffolk) who each had four hits, while Apperson, Harrell, Luke Brankley (Onancock, VA/Nandua) , Mike Clark (Kinsale, VA/Washington and Lee) and Jason Bour (Centreville, VA/Westfield) each drove in three runs.

The Tigers scored in each of the first four innings including eight runs in the fourth when the team sent 14 batters to the plate and recorded the eight runs on eight hits to break the game wide open. Trailing 16-1, Ferrum rallied with six runs in its half of the ninth inning to make the final Tiger advantage nine runs.

The Panthers were paced by Brent Sowers and Jesse Bowles who each went 3-for-5 with a run scored and one RBI, while Brett Thomas collected two hits and scored the team’s first run of the contest in the fourth inning. Meanwhile, pitcher Ryan Cooper took the loss after working three and two-third innings and allowing 12 hits and nine runs (four earned) to go with one strikeout and two walks.

Five members of the Hampden-Sydney squad earned all-tournament honors, including John Schoenholtz, John Apperson, Luke Brankley, Todd Harrell and Jayson Hanky, while Brent Sowers, Ryan Cooper and Kasey Harmon represented Ferrum College, Brandon Cole and Kevin Foeman represented Mary Washington and Andrew Jensen represented Salisbury .

Hampden-Sydney, the first-ever Old Dominion Athletic Conference program to advance to the Division III College World Series, will return to action Friday, May 27, in the first round of action in Appleton, WI.

 -www.hsc.edu/athletics-