SPRINGFIELD, ILL. -- In a pair of games that had a flair for the dramatic, the Apprentice School won a pair of one-run games on Tuesday and advanced to the winners bracket final of the 2012 USCAA Small College World Series.
With the two wins, the Builders advance to face Spalding University in a 2pm CST winners bracket final contest at Robin Roberts Stadium. In the earlier contest, senior Daniel Lutz threw a complete-game five-hit shutout as the Builders used a RBI single from Devorn Lake in the fourth inning to defeat Penn State Beaver 1-0.
Sophomore Zach Harding's one-out single to left center in the bottom of the eighth plated Devorn Lake with the winning run as Apprentice School defeated Rochester College 2-1 to win its second one-run game of the day.
Sam Massie picked up his fifth win of the year for the Builders throwing 2.2 innings with four strikeouts, three walks and one hit allowed. His walks came in the top of the eighth when with one out and walking the bases loaded, he proceeded to strike out David Woodson and Alex Hacias to end a Rochester threat.
In the bottom of the eighth, Lake and Travis Franklin walked and advanced to second and third on a balk. After a strikeout and intentionally walking Andrew Hooper to set up a force play, Harding roped a 1-1 pitch into left-center for the game winning run.
Rochester took a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning as they scored an unearned run as with the bases loaded a passed ball plated Spenser McKee. The Builders answered with one in the bottom of the seventh as with one out, Chris Perry hit a deep fly to left field that was dropped for a two-base error. Chris Scarola followed with a basehit to centerfield to score pinch-runner Justin Hike to tie the game.
Starting pitcher Ryland Edwards went 5.1 innings with two hits and striking out two before Massie came into relief. Franklin and Harding had two hits each as the Builders out-hit the Warriors 7-3.
APPRENTICE 1, PENN STATE BEAVER 0
Senior Daniel Lutz threw a five-hit shutout for second-seeded Apprentice School as they defeated seventh-seeded Penn State-Beaver 1-0 on Wednesday morning.
The Builders scored a run in the fourth inning as with one out, Chris Aldridge doubled to right center and scored on a Devorn Lake single to left center. Beaver starter Cory Wagner gave up a single and a walk to load the bases, but got a force out and a strikeout to leave the bases loaded for the Builders.
Lutz never faced more than four batters in an inning and forced three double plays. In the seventh, with one out, Garrett Covalt singled to left but Grant Scott's line drive to Lake at first enabled him to throw out Covalt and the return throw turned a game-ending double play.
Aldridge had two of the Builders four hits going 2-for-3, while Mike Karas was 2-for-2 and Tom Lewis was 2-for-3 for Penn State Beaver.