NAIA 2001 BASEBALL WORLD SERIES
Game 16: Bellevue, Neb. 12, Western Oregon 7
NAIA 2001 BASEBALL WORLD SERIES
Game 16: Bellevue, Neb. 12, Western Oregon 7
May 30, 2001 at Harris Field
LEWISTON, Idaho – Matt Zach allowed just four hits in 5 1/3 innings of relief and Zack Hinckley’s two-run double in the fourth drove in the go-ahead run as Bellevue, Neb., rallied from a 5-1 first-inning deficit to defeat Western Oregon 12-7 in the 45th annual NAIA Avista Baseball World Series at Harris Field.
The loss eliminated the Wolves, who finished their season with a record of 41-20. Bellevue earned its 49th victory against 17 losses with the win.
Western Oregon scored five runs in the first inning, two on a single by Mark Hernandez, but the Bruins used four hits and took advantage of two WOU errors to score five runs in the fourth. The Wolves closed back to within a run at 7-6 in the fifth on a home run by Andy Ortmayer, but Bellevue put the game away with three runs in the seventh, one in the eighth and one in the ninth.
Hinckley led a 15-hit attack with three hits, including a leadoff home run in the seventh, which produced his third RBI of the game. Rightfielder Kam Ochsner also had three hits and drove in three runs. Ochsner, batting leadoff, also drew two walks.
The first five hitters in Bellevue’s line-up combined for 12 hits in 23 at bats, including two each by Clifford Johnson, Bodie Simpson and Bobby Koba. Simpson homered to lead off the eighth inning.
After knocking out starter Ryo Sasahara in the first, WOU scored just two runs off Zach, who won his 10th game in 13 decisions. Zach walked one and struck out three. Sasahara gave up six hits and five runs in 2/3 of an inning. Matt Whitehead blanked the Wolves on one hit over the final three innings to record his first save of the season.
Joey Price, Bryce Gardinier, Ortmayer and Hernandez all had two hits to lead Western Oregon’s offense. Gardinier, Ortmayer and Hernandez were each credited with two RBI.
Western Oregon starter Mike Gits surrendered 11 runs, seven earned, and gave up 13 hits in eight innings. Gits finished his season with a record of 6-5.
LCSC (54-12), the lone remaining unbeaten team in the tournament, plays Birmingham-Southern (52-11) in tonight’s final game.
Bellevue (Neb.) 101 500 311 -- 12 15 2 Western Oregon 500 010 100 -- 7 11 4
Ryo Sasahara, Matt Zach (1), Matt Whitehead (7) and Tim Fisher; Mike Gits, Kryspin Rozewski (9) and Toby Bottorff. W – Zach (10-3). L – Gits (6-5). HR – Bellevue, Bodie Simpson (4), Zack Hinckley (10); WOU, Andy Ortmayer (10). Time: 2:25. Attendance: 685.