HAMMOND, La. — Delgado won both of Friday’s opening round games in the NJCAA Region XXIII Division I Championship Series, defeating Baton Rouge 8-7 in ten innings and Nunez 4-3.
In game one, Cole Stromboe’s pinch hit single with bases loaded in the bottom of the tenth plated Josh Alexander to lift the Dolphins to an 8-7, extra inning win over Baton Rouge. Alexander reached on a single to open the frame, advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Jacob Singletary, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Jhonnatan Ferrebus and Logan O’Neill reached on intentional walks to load the bases before Stromboe’s walk-off single.
Delgado scored two in the ninth to tie the game at seven and force the game into extra innings. Ferrebus led off the ninth with a walk and advanced to third on a single by Logan O’Neill. Cade Pregeant’s two out single plated both base runners to tie the game at seven and salvage the game for the Dolphins.
Josh Alexander put Delgado on the board in the bottom of the first with a solo homerun. Baton Rouge’s Braden McLin tripled to lead off the fourth and back-to-back batters reached as hit batters followed by a sacrifice fly to plate a run before a three run homerun by Ethan Menard gave the Bears the 4-1 lead. Delgado would tie the game in the bottom of the fifth following singles by Ferrebus, O’Neill, and Kaufmann and a double by Tyler Cook.
A solo homerun by Brock Slaton in the sixth put the Dolphins ahead 5-4. Four consecutive singles by Baton Rouge in the seventh put the Bears ahead 7-5 before Delgado responded to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth before the tenth inning walk-off. Kaile Levatino picked up his fifth win of the season on the mound, pitching four innings in relief of starter Carson Lore, who exited the game in the sixth inning.
Josh Alexander led off game two with a solo homerun to give Delgado the early lead. JT Singletary and Brock Slaton reached on consecutive walks. Jhonnatan Ferrebus reached on a fielder’s choice that erased Slaton but allowed Singletary to score from second for the Dolphins’ second run. Nunez’ Collin Zeringue hit a solo homerun in the fourth to cut the lead to a run. In the sixth, Jake Kaufmann led off with a walk and goes to third on a stolen base and overthrow.
Cade Pregeant reached safely on an infield error that allowed Kaufmann to score and expand Delgado’s lead to 3-1.
In the seventh, the Pelicans plated a run on a groundout, having reached on a walk and advanced to third on an infield error. Nunez plated their third and game tying run with a bases-loaded wild pitch with two outs in the top of the ninth.
In the bottom frame, Jacob Singletary reached as a hit batter and advanced to second on a passed ball before scoring on a pinch hit walkoff single by Cole Stromboe to give Delgado the 4-3 win.
Turner Toms pitched into the seventh, holding the Pelicans to a run on two hits. Tyler Velino added 2.2 innings with Logan O’Neill picked up the win in relief, recording the last out in the top of the ninth as Nunez left two runners stranded.
With the win, Delgado (41-11) advances to the championship round, facing Baton Rouge at 2:00 Saturday.
A win would secure the title and a loss would force the if-necessary game Sunday.
{Courtesy: release from Delgado Athletics}