MASON, Ohio – Third-seeded Alderson Broaddus completed an unbeaten run in the bracket to claim the program’s first Great Midwest Athletic Conference Baseball Championship title at PRASCO Park on Saturday.
The Battlers won their fourth game in as many days and ended a three-year run at the top of the G-MAC by Trevecca Nazarene, handing the top-seeded Trojans two rare postseason defeats, including a 9-6 decision in the Game 10 finale.
AB claimed the league’s first-ever automatic qualifier spot in the NCAA Championship Midwest Regional.
The field of 56 teams in this year’s national tournament will be announced on Sunday, May 14, at 10 p.m. EST on NCAA.com.
AB’s postseason run began with a win against No. 4 Cedarville on Wednesday. The Battlers then handed No. 2 Kentucky Wesleyan its first loss in the tourney before toppling No. 1 TNU in a wild affair on Friday.
Alderson Broaddus shortstop Jordan Martin was 3-for-5 with a double and his second home run of the G-MAC Championship. He scored twice and drove in three RBI.
Cam Murray was 2-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored while leadoff hitter Anthony Monaco singled, scored twice and helped turn a pair of double plays on the infield with Martin.
The Battlers received six strong innings from starter Koby Overstreet. He was touched for one earned run on six hits as a few defensive miscues led to three runs.
By committee, Tyler Stage, Jeremy Larkey, Mitchell Griffiths and Randy Dobnak, finished out an adventurous nine innings as the Trojans once again made a seemingly uncomfortable lead disappear.
In yesterday’s meeting between the two schools, Trevecca Nazarene stormed back from a 7-1 deficit and turned the tables again today trailing 5-1. The Trojans scored five runs in the seventh inning, the key piece coming on a two-run single by Bryson Shelton.
But AB tied it right back up in the eighth on an RBI single by Andrew Holderman and added insurance in the ninth to back-to-back RBI doubles by Murray and Martin. Chuck Hooker followed with a two-out RBI single.
Shelton was 3-for-5 with three RBI and Ethan Harrison went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Alderson Broaddus will head into the regional pod with a 31-19 overall record.
TNU will pin its hopes on making the regional as an at-large selection with 33-21 record through the end of the conference tournament.