Shepherd College Athletics

(photo by Matt Poling)

Shepherd celebrates its first WVIAC title under Wayne Riser.

SHEPHERD CAPTURES WVIAC TITLE

PRINCETON, WV -- Shepherd University saved its best for last with a season-high 23-hit attack en route to a 14-10 victory over Concord on Sunday at Hunnicutt Field in Princeton to capture the WVIAC baseball title. Shepherd's ninth trip to Princeton under head coach Wayne Riser proved to be the charm.

Concord grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Zach Graybill led off the game with a single and later scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Eric Crouse.

The Rams answered back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 3-1 lead. Tavis Laws (Stephens City, VA/Sherando HS/Eastern Mennonite) led off with double and scored when Charlie Drummond (Strasburg, VA/Strasburg HS) blasted a home run to center field. Josh Delawder (Paw Paw, WV/Paw Paw HS/Potomac State) added a two-out double and scored on an RBI-single from Norris Roy (Gambrills, MD/Arundel HS/Hagerstown CC).

Shepherd extended its lead to 6-1 with three runs in the third. Drummond led off with double and scored on a triple by Delawder. Roy brought Delawder home on a single and later scored on a single by Jimmy Jackson (Millersville, MD/Old Mill HS).

Concord cut the Ram lead to 6-3 with two runs in the fourth. Joe Lawston led off with single and scored on a single by Justin Tabor. Tabor later scored on a infield error.

The Rams answered back with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 10-3 advantage. Drummond led off with a solo blast to left field. Jon Serrano (Stafford, VA/Brooke Point HS) lofted a two-run triple to plate Roy and Delawder. Serrano later scored on an RBI-single off the bat of Shane Wines (Front Royal, VA/ Warren County HS).

Concord cut the lead to 10-4 with a run on the fifth. Joe Lawston singled and later scored on an outfield scoring error.

Shepherd made it 12-4 with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Joe Cook (Leesburg, VA/Loudoun County HS) doubled and scored on a double by Delawder. Delawder later scored on a single by Roy.

The Mountain Lions made it a 12-6 game with a pair of runs in the sixth. Eric Crouse singled to plate Zach Graybill, who started the rally with a one-out single. Chris Bowers added an RBI-single to score Ben Bennett, who reached base on a fielder's choice.

Shepherd increased its lead to 13-6 when Cook doubled home Laws, who reached base on a walk.

The Rams seemingly put the game out of reach with a run in the seventh to take a 14-7 advantage. Jackson smacked a two-out single and later scored on a single by Jason Walck (Waynesboro, PA/Waynesboro HS).

Concord made the game interesting with four runs in the eighth. Chris Bowers singled to score Joe Besl, who had led off with single. Joe Lawston doubled to score Ben Bennett, who had walked. Bowers scored on a single by Wes Meeteer. After Ram reliever Todd Coder (Woodbridge, VA/Woodbridge, VA) hit Jared Ward with a pitch, Coder was called for a balk which allowed Lawston to score and put runners on second and third. Coder got Zach Graybill to ground out to third base to end the threat.

Charlie Drummond (Strasburg, VA/Strasburg HS) went to the mound in the ninth to nail down the first conference title for Riser's Rams. Drummond got Joe Besl to ground out to second base for the first out and then proceeded to strike out Ben Bennett and Eric Crouse on six pitches to set off a massive celebration by Shepherd.

Shepherd starter Scott Koscielniak (Severn, MD/Old Mill HS/CCBC-Catonsville) improved to 8-2 with the win. The victory was the sixth consecutive for Koscielniak. Zach Dotson (2-3) took the loss for Concord

The Rams had several outstanding performances at the plate. Norris Roy was 4-for-6 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Josh Delawder was 4-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and four runs scored. Charlie Drummond was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Jimmy Jackson went 3-for-5 with a run scored and a run batted in. Tavis Laws, Joe Cook, Jon Serrano, and Shane Wines each had a pair of hits.

Wes Meeteer, Zach Graybill, and Joe Lawston each had three hits to lead Concord.

Shepherd caps off a remarkable season with a 24-17 record, while Concord completes its year at 29-18.

Notes: Charlie Drummond set a new Shepherd and WVIAC record with 19 home runs on the season. Drummond also set a new career mark for runs batted in with 179, surpassing the old mark of 177 set by Mike Spry. Drummond finished his career with 200 hits. He joins Mike Spry (220) and Adam Straskulic (223) as the only players to reach the 200-hit mark. Tavis Laws tied the school single season mark for doubles with 17. The Rams finsihed the season with seven straight wins and won 14 of its last 18 contests.

Concord 100 212 040 10 17 2

Shepherd 303 421 10X 14 23 3

Koscielniak, Magnanelli (6), Coder (8), Drummond (9) and Drummond, Serrano (9); Dotson, Wilburn (3), Harsh (3), Spears (4), Pulley (5), Honaker (6) and Lawston.

HR: SU - Drummond 2 (1st, one on; 4th, solo).

WP: Koscielniak (8-2)

LP: Dotson (2-3)