Niagara’s lineup opened up a floodgate of hits, thus washing away Tyler Junior College’s hopes of returning to the national championship game.
The No. 5 Thunderwolves of Niagara County (N.Y.) Community College banged out 16 hits en route to an 11-3 eight-inning win over the No. 3 Apaches on Tuesday in an elimination game of the NJCAA Division III World Series at Mike Carter Field.
Niagara later defeated Northern Essex (Mass.) for the doubleheader sweep and advanced to the championship game tonight against Joliet (Ill.) Junior College.
First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
A Joliet win means the Wolves are national champions, while a Niagara win means a second game will be played on Thursday in the double-elimination format.
TJC ends its season with a 38-20 record and a 2-2 mark in the World Series. The Apaches won it all in 2007, and finished as runners-up in 2010.
“We didn’t play well enough today to play another game,” TJC coach Doug Wren said. “It is unfortunate. I feel for these kids, because they put so much into these games — nine out of 10 games they don’t play that way.”
Jake Meehan and Nick Kellner each had three hits to lead the Thunderwolves’ attack. TJ Giczkowski, Mike Elwood, Michael Orlowski and Kyle Craig added two hits apiece.
Elwood, Meehan and Kellner all had two RBIs.
Niagara also received a stellar pitching performance from Mark Gampieto, who went eight innings and gave up just three earned runs.
The Apaches scored some early runs, but couldn’t hold back Niagara.
Catcher Trevor Clifton led TJC with three hits, while Jeremy Christian added two.
Estevan Hernandez, Tyler Ernest and Clifton each had doubles for Tyler.
Hernandez, Taylor Drolette and Ernst all had RBIs.
“This (World Series) has so many highs and lows,” Wren said. “We came out hot and then went flat. Hitting is contagious and so is not hitting. The ball didn’t bounce our way today. That is baseball for you.”
Wren said it was a good year for the Apaches, who won the District C championship and appeared in the World Series for the second time in three years.
“We have a lot to celebrate,” Wren said. “You don’t win this many ballgames and get this far without doing a lot of things right. They have a lot to be proud of.”
NOTES: Jason Ashley, a country recording artist who just recently released his “Here In Texas” CD, will sing the national anthem tonight before the national championship game, which begins at 7 p.m. Ashley has recently been the headliner of Red River Cowboys in Dallas and Arlington; and is about to release his debut album out of Nashville, Tenn., titled “Undeniable.” It is due out this summer. … The World Series is presented by Wells Fargo Advisors Tyler Texas Office.
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No. 5 Niagara County (N.Y.) Community College 11, No. 3 Tyler Junior College 3
NJCAA Division III World Series
At Mike Carter Field
Tyler 20100000 —3105
Niagara02143001—11161
Colton Burleson, Jarrett Zmolik (4), Blaine Taylor (8) and Trevor Clifton. Mark Gampieto and Jake Meehan.
W – Gampieto, L – Burleson.
2B – TJC: Estevan Hernandez, Tyler Ernest, Trevor Clifton. NCCC: Meehan, Nick Kellner, Kyle Craig.
SH – TJC: Nico Moran. NCCC: Meehan, Kellner. SB – TJC: Hernandez, Taylor Drolette. NCCC: TJ Giczkowski, Mike Elwood.
RECORDS — Tyler 38-20. Niagara County 38-21.
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NJCAA Division III World Series
Presented By Wells Fargo
Advisors Tyler Texas Office
At Mike Carter Field
Saturday, May 19
Game 1: Tyler Junior College 7, St. Cloud (Minn.)?Technical &?Community College 0
Game 2: Joliet (Ill.) Junior College 10, Nassau (N.Y.)?Community College 0, 6 innings
Game 3: Niagara County (N.Y.) Community College 6, Gloucester (N.J.)?Community College 0
Game 4: Northern Essex (Mass.)?Community College 9, Montgomery (Md.)?College-Germantown 1
Sunday, May 20
Game 5: St. Cloud 6, Nassau?3, Nassau eliminated
Game 6: Gloucester 7, Montgomery 1, Montgomery eliminated
Game 7: Joliet 7, Tyler 5
Game 8: Northern Essex?6, Niagara 5
Monday, May 21
Game 9: Tyler 12, Gloucester 11, Gloucester eliminated
Game 10: Niagara 13, St. Cloud 3, 7 innings
Game 11: Joliet 8, Northern Essex?2
Tuesday, May 22
Game 12: Niagara 11, Tyler 3, Tyler eliminated
Game 13: Niagara 9, Northern Essex 5, Northern Essex eliminated
Wednesday, May 23
Game 14: Niagara (39-21) vs. Joliet (36-29), 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 24
Game 15: If necessary, 7 p.m.