HATTIESBURG, MS: One of the best seasons in Texas Wesleyan University Baseball history came to a heartbreaking close on Wednesday. No. 20 William Carey University (40-18) used a two-run walk-off homerun from James Land with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to top the Rams (47-15) by a final score of 6-5 in semifinal action of the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round Hattiesburg Bracket.
The Rams posted the third highest win total in program history this season. Their 47 victories trailed only the 1980 (53) and 1978 (52) teams. The team batted .329 with 66 home runs, an on-base percentage of .405 and a slugging percentage of .510 while outscoring their opponents by 166 runs.
This was the team's fifth appearance in the NAIA National Tournament since the association went to the Opening Round format in 2009. They hold an all-time record of 10-10 in national tournament play. The team's two losses in this year's tournament both came with ninth inning comebacks by William Carey.
The Rams faced a tall task on Wednesday, needing to defeat William Carey on their home field then defeat 8th ranked Southeastern (FL) to force a winner-take-all championship game on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Texas Wesleyan's
Luis Roman and WCU's James Land each delivered a pair of two-run home runs, but Land's was of the walk-off variety to seal the win for the Crusaders.
Roman got things started on the right foot when he belted a two-run homer in the top of the first, but Land answered with a two-run shot in the bottom of the inning.
Roman matched his jersey number with his 17th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth. William Carey answered in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run double from Adrian Brown.
With one out in the seventh,
Kiki Menendez doubled home
Chandler Schoelkopf with the go-ahead run.
Evan Rogers started the game for Texas Wesleyan and turned in six innings of work before getting into a jam in the seventh. With two-on and no outs in the inning, Head Coach
Mike Jeffcoat turned to 1st-team All-SAC reliever
Brad Sugg. Sugg recorded a strikeout and then a groundball double-play to preserve the one-run lead.
In the ninth, Roman took the hill looking to cap an incredible day. The senior third-baseman got two quick outs before Tyler Graves singled and setup Land's heroics.
With the win, William Carey advanced to the Opening Round final where they will be tasked with beating No. 8 Southeastern (FL) twice to earn a bid to the Avista-NAIA World Series.
Ramblings
- Texas Wesleyan is now 10-10 all-time in NAIA National Tournament Opening Round play. They have reached the Opening Round finals three times (2009, 2010, and 2013).
-
Luis Roman batted .438 with 2 Hr's and 7 RBI in four NAIA National Tournament Games, while
Kiki Menendez batted .425 with 3 2B's, 4 HR's and 12 RBI in 10 postseason games.
- The Rams' last three losses all came in the ninth inning. No. 1 Oklahoma City scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to win the SAC Championship game 15-14. William Carey scored four runs in the top of the ninth to win the first game of the National Tournament Opening Round 4-3, and the Crusaders plated two in the bottom of the ninth to earn the 6-5 win on Wednesday.
- The all-time series with William Carey is now even at 3-3.
- Texas Wesleyan's 66 total home runs and
Luis Roman's 17-home runs are the most during
Mike Jeffcoat's 16-year tenure as head coach.
- Head Coach
Mike Jeffcoat reached the 500-win milestone this season. His record now stands at 529-357-1. He has led the Rams to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round or equivalent regional tournament in eight of the last twelve seasons and reached the final of that tournament four times (2007, 2009, 2010, and 2013).
