[abell1198]

"It's a beautiful day for a game of baseball," James thought as he admired the Ballpark of Villanova. He and Ephraim had traveled by train to Villanova, Pennsylvania to see Game 1 of the Collegiate Championship Series. Both were again hoping to see Thomas get some playing time on the big stage with Cornell. The Big Red team was still pumped up from their playoff series win. Cornell and Villanova split two games during the regular season. There are 1684 people at the ballpark today. The weather is wonderful, 79 degrees, with clear skies. The wind is blowing out to right at 9 mph. Cornell junior Lee Richmond gets the start for the Big Red. Richmond pitched eight innings against the Wildcats on April 29th. He took the loss that day, as 'Nova won the game 6-3. Villanova junior Sergio Macias is on the mound for the Wildcats today. Macias was the starter in the game on April 29th, getting the complete game win.

Cornell sophomore third baseman Ned Williamson leads the game off with a double, but he's stranded and the Big Red can't score in the top of the 1st. Richmond gets the lead off hitter out, which brings up freshman DH Gene Keller to the plate. The 19 year old Keller hit .186 in 22 games played this season. Keller is from Town and Country, Missouri, just outside of the City of St. Louis. Keller watches the first pitch go by and takes ball one. Keller sends the second pitch down the right field line!! Keller ends up with a double. Junior center fielder Pete "Monkey" Hotaling comes up next and gets a base hit, moving Keller to third. Senior catcher Lew "Blower" Brown is up next and batting clean up. Brown lines the ball into right field for a base hit, scoring Keller. Hotaling pushes for third and is safe ahead of the throw!! Sophomore left fielder Zach "Creole" Fite comes up next. On the first pitch, Brown takes off for second. The throw by Cornell catcher is way off the mark and into center field. Hotaling scores and Brown ends up at third. Fite ends up lining out to short for the second out, bringing senior first baseman Chub Sullivan to the plate. Sullivan fouls off the first four pitches, then takes three balls for a full count. The eighth pitch is lines down the right field line and into the corner. Brown scores and Sullivan has a triple!!! The next batter, Kelly Browning, grounds out to end the inning, and at the end of the 1st, Villanova leads 3-0.

Cornell sophomore shortstop J.D. Ruch leads off the 2nd with a triple into the left center field gap. Villanova has a large ballpark, with that gap measuring 418 feet from home plate to the wall. Senior left fielder Chris Finnegan grounds out to second, but Ruch is able to score to cut the 'Nova lead to 3-1. Rowe is up next and takes the first pitch and sends it into shallow right for a base hit. Freshman second baseman Arturo Lopez steps into the batter's box. Lopez is from Costa Rica, throws right, but bats from the left side. Lopez played in 44 games this season, hitting .277 with three homers and 33 RBI. Lopez works a 1-1 count, then cracks the ball down the right field line. It's got the distance and it's over the wall!!! A two run home run for Lopez, as he ties the game here in the 2nd. Villanova collects themselves and finish off the inning, but not before Cornell comes back and ties the game, 3-3.

The score is the same as we enter the bottom of the 3rd and two Cornell errors put the first two batters on base. Fite singles past first to score Hotaling, as Villanova retakes the lead. A double play and ground out later and the Wildcats hold a 4-3 after three innings. But Cornell isn't going to give up. In the top of the 4th, the Big Red have one on and one out with Lopez coming back up to the dish. He works a full count before sending a liner into right field. Lopez has a double as Rowe heads for home. The throw to the plate and Rowe is SAFE!!. Lopez, however, is not so lucky, as he tries for third and gets thrown OUT!! Leonidas Lee ends the inning by going down swinging, but midway through the 4th, the game is once again tied and the score is 4-4.

The game remains tied as we head to the top of the 7th inning. Lopez starts the inning off by going down swinging and senior right fielder Frank "Jumbo" Whitney is brought in to pinch hit for Lee. Whitney was a regular in right field for three seasons, but lost his starting spot to junior Micah Rufo this year. "Jumbo" has a .271 career average, but is only hitting .182 this season, starting eight games and appearing in 40. Whitney works a 1-1 pitch and sends a liner into right center for a base hit. Whitney will run on you and on the second pitch to Williamson, Whitney is off for second. Whitney steals second!! Four pitches later, Williamson lines the ball into deep left center field for a double. Whitney scores and Cornell takes their first lead of the game!! Sophomore DH David Mayeaux follows up by doubling Williamson home, then "Big Dan" Brouthers triples to score Mayeaux. Brouthers would come home on a ground out and by the time the half inning is over, Cornell has built an 8-4 lead!!

Thomas was brought into the game to play center field, much to the delight of James and Ephraim. With a four run lead, Cornell was feeling pretty good. Villanova isn't known for quitting, though, and with two outs and two on in the bottom of the 7th, Fite doubles down the left field line. Hotaling scores and Brown ends up on third. A passed ball allows Brown to score and by the end of the 7th, the Wildcats have recovered two runs and now trail by a score of 8-6. Rowe grounds out for Cornell to start the 8th, but Lopez follows up with a triple, which went over the head of the center fielder. Thomas Herring steps up to the plate, with one out and Lopez on third. Herring quickly falls into an 0-2 hole, but the third pitch is a ball. Brown misses the pitch, however, and it's a passed ball! Lopez sprints home and scores, Cornell's lead now 9-6. Herring follows up by sending the next pitch into right for a base hit. He would end up forced out at second during the next at bat. A fly out ends the inning, but the Big Red now lead by three.

Villanova can't seem to figure out Richmond, though, in the 8th or 9th innings. The Wildcats manage a couple of hits, but can't score. Cornell wins Game 1 of the Collegiate Championship Series by the score of 9-6!!