Penn State DuBois Repeats as USCAA Small College World Series Champs
DUBOIS, Pa. - Penn State DuBois baseball has done it again. The Lions captured the 2019 USCAA Baseball Small College World Series title for the second straight year, topping Bryant & Stratton-Albany 12-7 in the deciding championship game on Thursday night at Showers Field.
Despite making their hometown crowd cheer through a second game on championship day, DuBois finished the tournament 4-1 as they worked their way through the winner's bracket to advance to the championship. Bryant & Stratton forced the winner-take-all game behind a complete game four-hitter by Zach Mattos as the Bobcats used a 3-for-5 performance from Jion Cras with two RBIs to win 6-1.
PSUAC All-Conference member and Tournament MVP Toner Corl went 3-for-4 in the deciding game, driving in seven runs and setting a USCAA tournament record in the process.
DuBois didn't let the first game disappointment linger, jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead off of a two-run single by Vince McDowell in the first. Bryant & Stratton briefly took the lead in the second ona three-run homer, but DuBois answered in the third with another two-run hit from McDowell--except this one went over the right center field fence.
The defending champions would not trail again, adding four runs in the fifth as Corl hit a grand slam to make it 8-3. A Corl RBI single in the seventh made it 9-4, but Bryant & Stratton threatened with two runs in the bottom half to make it 9-6. McDowell stayed hot an inning later, smashing another home run before Corl's two-run double made it 12-6. That double broke the previous tournament record of six RBIs in a game, which had been done multiple times.
Joining Corl with three hits in a game was McDowell going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs. Isaac Stouffer was 2-for-6 and Thayne Morgan was 2-for-2 to round out thefour Dubois players with multi-hit games. Brandon Orsich picked up the win, throwing 6 1/3 innings of relief with four strikeouts.
DuBois was the no. 3 seed in the tournament, beating no. 6 Southern Maine CC 7-1 on Monday night. DuBois shutout Bryant & Stratton on Tuesday, 4-0, to advance to the winner's bracket final where they would face no. 1 seed The Apprentice School, last year's tournament runner-up. DuBois got the best of Apprentice again, winning 6-3 to advance to the championship and force their championship opponent to take two games from them.
Once again, DuBois' depth on the mound and timely hitting helped them clinch the crown--their fourth in two years (two PSUAC and two USCAA).
For more information about the USCAA Small College World Series visit the link below.