Horizon League Baseball Championship Game 1: Valparaiso holds off Butler 6-5

May 20, 2008

Box Score

Championship Central

NILES, Ohio - Valparaiso University (19-33) defeated Butler University (12-34) 6-5 and eliminated the Bulldogs from the Horizon League Baseball Championship presented by the U.S. Army. With the win, Valpo advances to the second round of the championship and will face Youngstown State on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.

Valparaiso freshman Steve Godawa picked up the victory and moved to 3-2 on the year, while Butler freshman Jared Wagoner took the loss and fell to 0-1. Valpo freshman Jarad Miller earned his eighth save of the year.

Both starters did not figure into the final decision. Valparaiso senior Elliott Gibbs went 5.1 innings, struck out eight and walked five while Butler junior Jeff Sinkiewicz worked 6.0 innings and walked just one batter.

Designated hitter sophomore Josh Wallace went 2-for-4 and led the Crusaders with three runs batted in. Wallace has drove in a least one RBI in five of his last seven games. Valpo senior rightfielder Zach Rodeghero also drove in a run and picked up his team-best 21st double on the year. Rodeghero is batting a League-best .426 on the year.

Sophomore third baseman Kyle Schultz and senior shortstop Joe Pauley led the BU offensive attack as they both went deep, collecting their second and 13th home runs of the year, respectively.

Butler struck first in the top half of the third inning as it plated three runs. Junior Rick Betsch got the inning started with a single to right field. Junior Colin Ziegel came up next and singled to left-centerfield. Two batters latter, Schultz drilled the first pitch over the right field wall for a three-run home run.

Valparaiso responded in the bottom half of the inning with three runs to even the score. Sophomore Brett Bivens got the inning started with a single into left field. He then advanced to second following senior Dan DeBruin's walk. Bivens and DeBruin moved into scoring position after senior John Giusti grounded out to second. Rodeghero came up next and hit a double, which scored Bivens from third. Wallace then cleared the bases with a single to center field.

The Bulldogs re-claimed the lead in the top half of the sixth inning after freshman Michael Letzter scored from third. Letzter drew a leadoff walk. He reached second on a fielder's choice and then moved over to third thanks to a sacrifice bunt.

In the bottom half of the sixth, Valparaiso tied the game once again thanks to junior Matt Lenski's single through the right side, which allowed senior Jason Brunelli to score from second. Brunelli led off the inning with a double to left-centerfield.

Valparaiso took the lead for good in the seventh inning as it plated two runs on two hits to take a 6-4 advantage. Brunelli and Wallace each picked up RBIs for the Crusaders.

In the ninth inning, the Crusaders recorded the first two outs of the frame, but the Bulldogs would not go quietly as Pauley drilled a 0-2 pitch over the rightfield wall, which knocked Godawa out of the game.

Valparaiso then turned to Miller to close out the game, which he did striking out BU senior Nate Hart on three straight pitches.

The 2008 Horizon League Baseball Championship is being held at Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio. Single-day tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for senior citizens and youth, while all-tournament passes are $20 and $14, respectively.

Students from all Horizon League institutions are free with a valid student identification card. Gates will open one hour prior to the first game each day.

For additional Horizon League baseball information, including the championship bracket, directions to Eastwood Field, GameTracker live statistics and game recaps, check out the official web site at www.horizonleague.org.

For free, live video web casts of all games of the Horizon League Baseball Championship, log onto the Horizon League Network at www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv.