Shepherd College Athletics

Assistant athletic director Ken Tyler presents head coach Wayne Riser with a plaque commemorating his 300th career win against Fairmont State earlier this season.

RAMS HEADED TO PRINCETON

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV--Shepherd University belted 11 hits en route to an 8-4 win over Salem International University in WVIAC Play-In Round baseball action at Fairfax Field on Saturday afternoon. The Rams advance to the WVIAC Final Four to face West Virginia State next Friday in Princeton.

T.J. Shimizu led off the game with a homer to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Shepherd answered back in the bottom of the first. Jason Walck (Waynesboro, PA/ Waynesboro HS) singled and later scored on a fielder's choice hit by Josh Delawder (Paw Paw, WV/Paw Paw HS/Potomac State). Norris Roy (Gambrills, MD/Arundel HS/Hagerstown CC) later singled to score Charlie Drummond (Strasburg, VA/Strasburg HS), who had reached base on a walk.

Shepherd took a 3-1 advantage in the fourth when Steve Kozak (Harpers Ferry, WV/Jefferson HS) belted a solo blast to center field.

Salem cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth when John Hull led off with a walk and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryan Crotin.

Shepherd increased its lead to 5-2 in the sixth. Joe Cook (Leesburg, VA/Loudoun County HS) walked, stole second, moved to third on a Delawder single, and scored on a single by Roy. Shane Wines (Front Royal, VA/Warren County HS) singled to plate Delawder to give the Rams a three run advantage.

An RBI-single by Roy and a two-run single by Jimmy Jackson (Millersville, MD/ Old Mill HS) in the eighth gave Shepherd a 8-2 advantage.

The Tigers got solo homers in the ninth by Shimuzu and Dave Parsons to account for the final two runs.

Roy paced the Rams at the plate with a 3-for-4 effort with three RBIs and a run scored. Cook added a 2-for-3 performance and scored a pair of runs.

Shimizu was 4-for-5, while Dave Parsons and Ryan Crotin each added pair of hits.

Scott Koscielniak (Severn, MD/Old Mill HS/CCBC-Catonsville) (5 Ks, 2 BB) went seven innings to gain his seventh win of the year. Tiger starter Nate Younglove (2 Ks, 2 BB) suffered the loss. Drummond (1K, 0 BB) worked the final two innings to pick up his eighth save of the year.

Shepherd improves to 21-17, while Salem International falls to 22-24-1. The Rams face West Virginia State in the on Friday at 6:00 p.m. at Hunnicutt Field in WVIAC Final Four action.

Salem International 100 010 002 4 10 0

Shepherd 200 102 03X 8 11 0

Koscielniak, Drummond (8) and Drummond, Serrano (8); Younglove, Gutierrez (8), Constentino (8) and Hill.

HR: SIU - Shimizu 2 (1st, solo; 9th, solo) Parsons (9th, solo) SC- Kozak (4th, solo)

WP: Koscielniak (7-2)

LP: Younglove

Sv: Drummond (8)

Head coach Wayne Riser goes over the ground rules with the umpires and Salem International head coach Rick Leitch.

Jon Serrano scores on a Jimmy Jackson single.

Charlie Drummond worked the final two innings to gain his eighth save of the year.

Josh Delawder heads for third base.

Norris Roy went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Rams.

Jon Serrano rounds third and is headed for home.

Scott Koscielniak picked up his seventh win of the year for the Rams.