Tim Van Kirk’s two-run single proved to be the game-winner in Wash. U.’s 7-5 win over Buena Vista on Sunday.

by Cedric Williams
Senior Editor

The No. 1-ranked Washington University baseball team was three outs away from allowing one of the most stunning weekend sweeps of the entire college baseball season to happen.

The top-ranked team in all of D3 baseball came on its trip to Storm Lake, Iowa, with only one loss all season. But now they were on the verge of losing three straight to a Buena Vista team that had a losing record and came into the series having lost its own last three games.

The games on Saturday didn’t go well at all for the Wash. U. Bears, and neither did most of Sunday’s game either. But in the final inning of this three-game set at the Storm Lake Baseball Park, Wash. U. finally righted its ship and rallied with six runs on just three hits to pull out a 7-5 win.

The victory ended Wash. U.’s modest two-game losing streak and raised the Bears’ overall record to 22-3. Wash. U. still has the best record among all NCAA Division III baseball teams, but after losing two straight to Buena Vista and its losing record, the Bears are almost certain to no longer be ranked No. 1 in the country when the new rankings are released on Wednesday.

The two losses to Buena Vista almost became three when Wash. U. came into Sunday’s ninth inning trailing 5-1. But the Bears began that ninth inning with three straight hit batters and that sparked an amazing rally.

Left fielder Johnny LaMantia got the scoring started with a two-run single to plate teammates Caleb Durbin and Andrew Huang. Then first baseman Bo Anderson followed with an RBI single that made the score 5-4. Pinch hitter Collin Kahal reached on a fielder’s choice, but LaMantia was able to score on the play and that tied the score at 5.

Following a strikeout, Tim Van Kirk came up and delivered the biggest blow of the day, when he drilled a single into left-center that scored two and suddenly the Bears were ahead. Buena Vista was able to get out of the inning, but now they were behind heading into the bottom of the ninth against the No. 1 team in the country.

Wash. U. brought in closer Jared Fong and he mowed down the middle of Buena Vista’s lineup with almost no problems (Fong did allow one hit, but he also struck out a batter) to finish the game and pick up his seventh save of the season. The stunning loss dropped Buena Vista’s overall record to 11-17.

The score was 2-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but the Eagles tacked on three runs to put themselves up 5-1 and could’ve gotten more if Wash. U.’s Dominick DiCosimo hadn’t come in and got the final two outs to keep the Bears within striking distance. And since DiCosimo (1-0) was the pitcher of record when the Wash. U. rallied, that meant he got credit for the win, which was his first of the season.

Mitchell Black started the game for Wash. U. and pitched pretty well. He went 5 2/3 innings and only allowed those first two runs (only one was earned) on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

Buena Vista’s Calvin Harris was the tough-luck loser. He was responsible for four of Wash. U.’s six ninth-inning runs, including the third hit batter who scored and Van Kirk’s game-winning hit.

Now back at home, the Bears will get a couple days off before they’ll host a showdown with crosstown rival and fellow nationally-ranked opponent, Lindenwood University, Wednesday afternoon at Kelly Field.

Fans won’t know for sure what either teams’ ranking will be until the new polls come out the morning of the game, but in last week’s poll Wash. U. was ranked No. 1 in Division III baseball and Lindenwood was ranked No. 10 in Division II.

Lindenwood is coming off winning three of four over the weekend and has a 23-5 overall record, so it seems a pretty good shot that both teams will remain ranked in their respective top 10s when Wednesday’s new polls are released.