GEORGE FOX 10, TEXAS-TYLER 4: Wyckoff Sets Hits Record as Bruins Send Patriots Home

Box Score

McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Led by a record-setting performance at the plate by Matt Wyckoff and a sterling relief effort by Travis Schroeder, the No. 16 George Fox University Bruins eliminated the No. 10 University of Texas-Tyler Patriots 10-4 in the NCAA Division III Baseball West Regional Saturday afternoon here at Linfield College’s Roy Helser Field/Jim Wright Stadium.

Wyckoff went 3-for-3 to set the George Fox record for most hits in a season with 83 while Schroeder (6-2) struck out seven and allowed three hits and one run in 6.2 innings of work to pick up the win as the Bruins remained alive in the double-elimination tournament.  George Fox (35-10) will play Sunday at 12:00 noon against the Chapman University Panthers (29-14), who eliminated No. 1-ranked Pomona-Pitzer Colleges 5-2 in Friday's night game.  If the Bruins win, a second game would begin about 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first game to determine the West representative to the eight-team NCAA Division III World Series May 22-26 in Appleton, Wisc. 

Playing as the visitors, the Bruins got off to a quick start with four runs in the top of the 1st inning. Consecutive one-out singles by Matt Wyckoff, Bo Thunell and Pat Bailey produced the first run, and Thunell scored on a balk by Tyler right-hander Lex Wolfe (5-2).  An error at short on Dan Winterstein’s sharp one-hopper allowed Bailey to score from second, and after Seth Anderson singled Winterstein to third, Jason Brown’s squeeze bunt scored Winterstein.

The Patriots got one back in the home half as Austin Newell drew a lead-off walk, went to third on Jeremy Harding’s bloop single to shallow left-center, and scored on Chad Daleiden’s sacrifice fly to the warning track in right.  The Bruins answered with two more in the 2nd on a bases-loaded single to right by Thunell off reliever Matt Sparks that scored Taylor Hunter and Winterstein’s force out grounder that drove in Kyle Kuenzi.

Daleiden hit a two-run double in the Tyler 3rd to knock out George Fox starter Shane Dalgleish and cut the Bruin lead to 6-3, but Schroeder came on to get a strikeout and a foul out, Wyckoff reaching over the fence in left for an outstanding catch, to end the threat.

The Bruins scored on another balk in the 4th when Sparks faked to first and then to third, allowing Wyckoff to score from third.  The Patriots argued that Sparks had stepped off the pitching rubber prior to his move to first, but to no avail.  Wyckoff lined his 11th home run of the season leading off the 6th for his record-tying 82nd hit, boosting the Bruin lead to 8-3.

Joe Towns, the Patriots’ All-American Southwest Conference first baseman who has been hampered in the post-season by a bad ankle, pinch-hit in the bottom of the 6th and hit his 11th home run, a solo shot to left.

Wyckoff picked up his 83rd hit, breaking the record set by All-American shortstop David Peterson in 2004, with a solid single to right-center in the 8th.  He also has 71 RBIs, five short of the Bruin record of 76 by NAIA All-American first baseman Nate Barnett in 1999.

George Fox tacked on two final insurance runs in the 9th.  Winterstein singled to center, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Seth Anderson’s single off the glove of the second baseman with the infield in.  Anderson later scored on Hunter’s sacrifice fly to left.  

The Bruins finished with 16 hits, Wyckoff, Thunell and Winterstein collecting three each.  Anderson, Hunter, and Brent Trask had two hits apiece.  Skeen had two hits for the Patriots, who had seven safeties in all.