Date Posted: 5/12/2007

Nashville, Tenn. – Entering Saturday’s doubleheader with a magic number of two, Stetson took the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Lipscomb 7-3 then freshman Erich Holland hammered a three-run homer in the 10th inning of the nightcap to seal the Atlantic Sun Conference regular season title for the Hatters. Holland’s heroics lifted the Hatters (38-13, 20-3 A-SUN) over the Bisons (26-26, 10-13 A-SUN) by same 7-3 score in the second game.

Corey Kluber picked the up win in the opener to go to 10-1 on the year. Robbie Elsemiller (3-1) earned the victory in the second game after surrendering an unearned run in the 9th that sent it to extra innings.

Kluber turned in 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs with four strikeouts. Justin Dechert followed up with 2 2/3 perfect relief innings. He struck out two before giving way to Elsemiller, who pitched a 1-2-3 9th.

Aaron Crittenden led off the 10th inning of the second game with a single to right. Justin Bass followed with a double to set up Holland’s home run down the right field line. The Hatters added an insurance run when Jeremy Cruz doubled and later scored on a ground out.

After falling behind 2-0, Stetson rallied in the eighth inning. Two walks, a hit batter, two seeing-eye singles and an error all contributed to a three-run frame for Stetson. Adam Tindle’s 2-out, bases loaded single scored the go-ahead run for the Hatters before the Bisons tied it in the bottom of the 9th.

Lipscomb had squeezed out single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Justin Sanders’ 2-out single in the fourth scored the first one and Shane Simpkins was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth to make it 2-0.

Bisons starter Rex Brothers did not figure in the decision despite not allowing a run until the eighth.

Lipscomb also struck first in the first game when Simpkins led off the second inning with a home run to right field, his second of the year.

Stetson immediately responded after Kevin Johnson and Shane Jordan led off the third with bunt singles. Casey Frawley was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Justin Bass delivered a single to left center, scoring two runs.

Kluber ran into trouble in the third, surrendering a single and three walks – one of which brought in a run. However he coaxed an inning-ending flyout with the bases full to keep the score tied at two.

Jordan rewarded Kluber’s effort with a 2-RBI bouncing ball single to center in the top of fourth to give the Hatters a 4-2 lead.

Lipscomb’s Justin Sanders began the sixth with a home run to pull the Bisons within a run. Later in the inning Dechert relieved Kluber to get the final two outs of the inning with the tying run in scoring position.

The Hatters then put it out of reach in the ninth. Two walks and an error loaded the bases for Jeremy Cruz. He singled to right and when the ball was misplayed for another error, two runs had scored. Adam Tindle’s sacrifice fly plated another run for the 7-3 final.

Stetson concludes the series in Nashville, with a 2:00 p.m. (EDT) first pitch on Sunday.

Courtesy of Stetson Athletics

Related Links:
 • Stetson Baseball