William Jewell College erased a three run deficit with two runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth to hand the Jaguars of Houston Victoria their second loss in as many day ending their season with a 4-3 loss. The Cardinals remain alive in opening round action of the NAIA Baseball National Championship.
Errors in the fifth and sixth inning helped the Cardinals, as they scored twice in each inning to take a 4-3 lead off Jaguars starter Casey Newman (3-3).
Newman went the distance scattering 6 hits and striking out six while walking only one, but in consecutive at-bats, it was a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score and a passed ball that scored the eventual winning run.
William Jewell plays Wayland Baptist at 2pm. If they win, they will have to beat host Lubbock Christian twice to advance. By the way, it was that Lubbock Christian the team that beat William Jewell 28-2.
The Jaguars came close to tying it in the bottom of the eighth when Tony Rothman doubled with two outs. Jacob Kraft came on in relief of Cardinal starter, and eventual winner, Luke Kalb (9-3) to face pinch-hitter Josh Darnell. Kalb struck out Darnell to end the threat and the inning.
Kraft set down the Jaguars in order to end the game and earn his eighth save of the season.
The Jaguars finish the 2009 season with a record of 34 wins and 17losses, and are champions of the NAIA’s Association of Independent Institutions.
For 12 Jaguars the loss marks the end of their collegiate baseball careers.
