Triceratops put No. 22 Macomb C.C. on ice, advance to Regional Championship

JACKSON, Mich. (athletics.tri-c.edu) – Vinny Gallaher (So./Toledo, Ohio) and the Triceratops brought their best May 15, as Cuyahoga Community College upset No. 22 Macomb Community College 8-4, punching their ticket to the NJCA Region XII Championship Game against No. 1 Kellogg Community College.

Gallaher followed up his four-hit bid against Grand Rapids Community College with another outstanding three hit day, bringing his total line for May 15 to 7-for-8 with three RBIs. He was joined by Brayden Bortnick (Fr./Mentor, Ohio), who added two doubles and two RBIs.

On the pitching side, the Triceratops got 4.1 solid innings from starter Lincoln Briggs (Fr./Medina, Ohio), allowing them to save their bullpen. Even better was when Mason Wolf (So./Eastlake, Ohio) entered in relief and pitched 4.2 shutout innings to secure the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Gallaher got things started with a two-out single in the top of the first, but was thrown out trying to take second base on a passed ball.
• The Triceratops claimed first blood with two straight doubles by Nash Driedger and Bortnick. Bortnick's double drove in Driedger and put Tri-C on top 1-0 in the top of the second.
• Zeylen Yanmaz (Fr./Medina, Ohio) knocked a one-out triple off the wall in the top of the third and came in to score on a Jamir Ross (R-Fr./Dayton, Ohio) sacrifice fly, pushing the Tri-C tally to 2-0 in the top of the third.
• Macomb's offense made their presence known with a bang – a two-run home run that knotted the game up at 2-2 following Briggs working out of a bases-loaded jam at the end of the third.
• Jackson Boles (So.) claimed the lead back for the Triceratops with a two-RBI single in the top of the fourth, with Ross following that with an RBI single of his own to extend the lead to 5-2.
• The Triceratops were primed and ready to break the game open in the top of the fifth before the Monarchs were able to force an inning-ending double play to escape unscathed.
• Macomb drew closer, bringing the game to within one at 5-4 with an RBI single and double in the home half of the fifth.
• Tri-C got a much needed insurance run in the top of the sixth when Boles scored on a passed ball, growing the lead to 6-4. But an infield popup with the bases loaded ended the inning without any further runs scoring.
• Another Bortnick double and a bases-loaded walk by Pat Farrell (So./Cleveland, Ohio) added two to the Triceratops' total, extending the lead to 8-4 at stretch time.
• Macomb had two runners on with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Wolf slammed the door and stranded both runners, sending Tri-C to the Championship against Kellogg with an 8-4 win.

UP NEXT

Tri-C continues to roll in the NJCAA Region XII Championships, with a matchup against No. 1 Kellogg Community College tomorrow, May 15. First pitch from the JC Baseball Field in Jackson, Mich. is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

As the winners of the consolation bracket, Tri-C would have to take two against Kellogg to win the NJCAA Region XII Championship and earn a bid to the NJCAA Division II Baseball World Series. One win by Kellogg would give the Bruins the title.

All games in the NJCAA Region XII Championship Rounds will be broadcast live on the NJCAA Region XII YouTube channel. No tickets are required to attend the event, but parking on-campus at Jackson College is $10.

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