Matt Groezinger

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – The College of Wooster came back from early 3-0 and 7-4 deficits, rallying for three runs during the fifth and sixth and four more in the seventh inning to knock off Denison University 19-7 Saturday and win the 2010 North Coast Athletic Conference championship at VA Memorial Stadium.

The Fighting Scots, who have now claimed 13 titles in the league's 26-year history, did not drop a game during the four-team, double-elimination tournament, and now receive the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Div. III Baseball Championships, which begins with regional action on May 19.

After two scoreless innings, Denison (23-18) began the offensive fireworks with a three-spot in the top of the third, which included a two-run double by Peter Krieger.

Wooster (34-7) answered in the bottom of the frame. Matthew Johnson sparked the offense with a leadoff double, and an out later, Stu Beath lined one to the right side that short-hopped the second baseman for an RBI single. Then, Matt Groezinger tied it up with a hard shot that just cleared the right-field fence for a two-run homer – his first of three round-trippers on the day.

The very next at bat saw Greg Van Horn send a deep shot to left field. The ball hit high off the wall and away from the fielder, allowing Van Horn to come all the way around for an inside-the-park home run, and the Scots were suddenly ahead 4-3.

Their first lead didn't last long, with the Big Red bouncing back with another three-run inning. All three were scored on Aidan Lucas' two-out, bases-loaded drive to right field that bounced off the top of the wall and back on to the field. That gave Denison a 6-4 advantage.

The Big Red tacked on a single tally in the fifth for their second three-run cushion of the afternoon, but it was all Wooster after that.

During the bottom of the fifth, the Scots took advantage of two one-out walks and then an error for one run, and later, Michael Wellstead added an RBI single and Johnson an RBI walk.

Tied 7-7 entering the sixth, Groezinger drew a one-out walk and Van Horn sent one into the left-center gap that rolled to the wall. Groezinger scored easily for a lead Wooster would not relinquish and Van Horn legged out a triple – his school-record eighth of the season. Van Horn covered the final 90 feet on a groundout and the Scots added another unearned run for a 10-7 lead.

In the seventh, Wooster put the game away with four runs, highlighted by Groezinger's second home run, this time a shot into one of the deepest parts of the park, just left of center, which brought three in, making it a 14-7 score.

Groezinger also capped the game's scoring with a three-run homer, pulling it out to right field for his 10th this spring and giving him eight RBI for the day. The eight RBI tied for the fourth-most in team history.

On the mound, Keenan White picked up the win (2-0) after relieving for starter Matt DeGrand. White went 1.1 scoreless innings, scattering two hits and striking out two, and then Tyler Fugate came in for the three-inning save, his second of the tournament and fifth of the year. Fugate struck out four over and yielded just two hits as well.

Van Horn took home the tournament MVP award after going 8-for-14, including 3-for-4 with a triple and home run in the championship game.

Also on the all-tournament team were Fugate, Groezinger, Johnson, and Shane Swearingen.