Johnson’s Walk-Off Grand Slam Caps Wild 11-8 Victory for Scots

Matthew Johnson

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Matthew Johnson (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville) belted a two-out walk-off grand slam, capping a wild 11-8 victory for The College of Wooster as the Fighting Scots staved off elimination in the NCAA Div. III Mideast Regional Tournament during a back-and-forth, 13-inning affair with the host school, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, on Friday.

Wooster (36-10), the No. 2 seed, will be right back in action Friday night, as it plays top-seeded Heidelberg College (39-9) in another elimination game. The winner will advance to Saturday’s championship round versus fifth-seeded Adrian College (33-10).

After fourth-seeded Rose-Hulman (32-15) produced a run during the top of the 13th, the Scots were down to their final out three times. Sean Karpen (Venetia, Pa. / Peters Twp.) had led off the frame with an infield single, but with one out a batter’s interference was called during a stolen base attempt, which resulted in two Wooster coaches and one player being ejected. That may have been the spark it needed.

Brad Stuetzer (Wadsworth, Ohio / Wadsworth), making only his 19th at bat of the season after entering in the 11th as a pinch runner, singled to left-center on the very next pitch. Next, John Warren (New Castle, Pa. / Union Area) worked the count to 3-2 and then was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Johnson, who had stranded two runners in the 11th, would turn on a 1-1 pitch, sending the ball well over the left-field fence for his fourth home run of the season.

The Scots had jumped on the Engineers early, taking a 3-0 lead after three, highlighted by Stu Beath’s (St. Louis, Mo. / Avon Old Farms – Conn.) second homer of the regional and a Pat Christensen (Cincinnati, Ohio / Sycamore) RBI double.

In the top of the fourth, Rose-Hulman tied it 3-3, keyed by back-to-back doubles from Tim Tepe and Michael Matsui, however, Wooster answered by tallying two on the board during the bottom of the frame via a Beath single to right.

The Engineers put together a three-run sixth inning, taking the lead for the first time at 6-5, but again, the Scots responded this time when Bubba O’Donnell (Cincinnati, Ohio / St. Xavier) singled, followed by a Jake Sankal (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor) double, which not only scored O’Donnell but an error during the play allowed Sankal to come home as well.
Ahead 7-6 and with closer Mark Miller (Convoy, Ohio / Crestview) on the mound, Wooster appeared to be in good shape. Rose-Hulman, though, scratched out an unearned run to tie it in the top of the eighth.

Despite a number of scoring opportunities – both squads left six runners on base from the ninth to 12th innings – it remained tied at seven until the top of the 13th. Keenan Long led off that frame with a two-bagger and then got to third on a throwing error by the first baseman during a fielder’s choice play. Matsui delivered a sacrifice fly to put the Engineers ahead.

Miller worked a career-high 6.1 innings, earning the win (5-1). He yielded two runs, just one earned, on six hits and a pair of walks, while striking out a pair.

Offensively, Sankal paced the Scots with a 3-for-7 outing, equaling a school record for at bats in a game. Additionally, Beath, Karpen, Matt Groezinger (Upper Arlington, Ohio / Upper Arlington), and Johnson had two-hit outings.

Rose-Hulman’s Long led all players with a 4-for-7 game.