Racers Crowned WHAC Tournament Champions

LIMA, Ohio – For the first time in the program's seven-year history, the University of Northwestern Ohio baseball team can proudly boast that it is the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament champion.

However, the victory did not come easily. Austin Petravicius led the game off for the Panthers with a towering home run over the left field wall off of true freshman Brett McEldowney to give DU the early lead. The homer was Petravicius' first of the season. In the ensuing at-bat by Anthony DiPonio, the shortstop rocketed a hot shot off of the leg of McEldowney as the ball ricocheted towards the Davenport dugout on the first base line. Racer first baseman Blake Maines' instincts kicked in as the junior corralled the ball and dove towards the bag to record the 1-3 putout.

McEldowney would shake off the stinger and get out of the inning without any more damage thanks to an impressive catch by Carlos Baerga, Jr. in foul territory and a swinging strikeout.

Kyle Fisher proved he was not a leadoff hitter to challenge as he opened the bottom half of the game with a triple down the right field line before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Maines to even the score.

The Panthers left two runners on following a pair of singles in the top of the second as McEldowney and company secured a scoreless second. The Racers jumped on the opportunity in the bottom half as Jose Paulino reached base with one out as he was hit by the pitch. DayFran Ortiz made Brady VanSloten and the Panthers pay as he towered a homer of his own over the left field fence to give UNOH a 3-1 lead.

A scoreless third by both teams maintained the lead for UNOH.

Racer head coach Kory Hartman made the call to the bullpen in the fourth as he brought in Steven Amos in relief. Amos forced a fly out and got the next two swinging to surrender the side in order.

"Brett threw the ball well, but putting a freshman in that situation is tough," said Hartman. "We knew we were going to have to score some runs today because Davenport is a great team."

UNOH would add its final run of the game in the bottom of the fourth as a one-out double by Ortiz put a man in scoring position. Felix Correa came in as a courtesy runner for the catcher and showcased his speed as he scored on a RBI single by Fisher through the middle. Fisher showed his speed as well as he took second on the throw before making it 36-for-36 on stolen base attempts as he stole third.

Both teams' defenses took over for a few innings as the Panthers were unable to make up any ground until the eighth while the Racers could not extend the lead.

DU tried to claw its way back into the game on a sac fly by Petravicius which scored Andrew Figueroa from third. However, that would be it as Andres Medina got through 1.1 innings of relief with just the one run allowed. He first entered in the top of the seventh with two outs and a runner on first before catching Brandon Larkin-Guilfoyle looking as he proved to be among those essential role players who stepped up for the Racers.

"We had several guys that showed up today that have been role players most of this season. We told the team that those are the types of guys that when you get into these elimination or championship games that those guys who continue to work hard and buy-in are going to get their opportunities," Hartman added. "Medina coming in and throwing as well as he did was a testament to that. DayFran had a great game as well."

Ross Cervantes was called upon in the ninth to close out the game in a save situation. He got all three of his batters to get under the ball as the first popped out to Maines with the following two flying out to Erich Gonzalez in left field.

The celebration started as soon as Gonzalez made the grab as the Racers stormed the field to celebrate not only their monumental victory but the successes and failures of the previous six Racer teams which have built the program from the ground up.

"This group is a great bunch of guys that believe and work extremely hard and have bought in since day one," said Hartman. "I told these guys in our meeting today that it's not about them. It's about the alumni. It's about the guys who put the uniform on before they even stepped foot on campus and before they even knew who we were. It's a special day for me because I know how much it means to everyone who's listening back at home."

Amos (3-0) was credited with the win after pitching 3.2 innings of four-hit, shutout relief.

Since UNOH was also the regular season champion, the Panthers earned the WHAC's second automatic bid into the NAIA Opening Round with their appearance in the championship game. Though DU awaits to learn which bracket it will compete in, the Racers will return to the St. Rita's Sports Complex as UNOH will host the Lima Bracket of the 2017 NAIA Baseball Opening Round.

More information on the Opening Round will be announced later this week on www.NAIA.org and www.UNOHRacers.com.