DuBois, PA. – After pulling off their third upset of the Small College World Series, the Apprentice Baseball team only had about 45 minutes to re-focus, as they got ready to take on Miami-Hamilton in another elimination game for the Builders. The two teams met in the first round, with the Harriers handing Apprentice its only loss of the tournament. The Builders would need to win to force a winner take all game, or their season would come to an end.
Miami-Hamilton jumped on the board first to take the early advantage, 1-0. The score would stay that way until the top of the fourth inning, when Caleb Russell hit an RBI single to left field, scoring Maxwell Burcham and then with the bases loaded, Luke Wells drove in Connor Gregory on a sacrifice fly to put Apprentice ahead, 2-1. In the next inning, Burcham would bring home Camden Weston after his sacrifice fly to center, which was followed by a Riggs Ellis single, which allowed Thomas Packert to score on a throwing error increasing the lead to 4-1.
The scoring continued in the top of the sixth inning, as Braxton Wallace drove in Gregory. Packert and Ellis also picked up an RBI each to push the lead to 7-1. The Harriers got one back with a homerun to start their half of the inning and then added another to trim the Builders' lead to four runs. Apprentice's bats came alive again in the top of the seventh inning and they were able to capitalize on it, getting RBI's from Burcham (1) and Weston (2) to go back out in front by nine runs. They would add another after a Miami-Hamilton throwing error allowed Weston to cross home plate and that is all the cushion they would need as the Builders forced a "Winner Take All" game for the USCAA National Championship winning by a final score of 14-3.
The duo Logan Early and Clay O'Brien only gave up 3 runs on 8 hits, while Maxwell Burcham finished 3-5 with 2 RBI's and 2 runs. With the win, Apprentice will face the Harriers again tonight. This is the final game of the Small College World Series, with the winner being named National Champion.