Cal Lutheran Finds Relief Is in Short Supply in Loss

Cal Lutheran gave up two runs in the top of the ninth inning and lost to Aurora University, 7-6, Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division III baseball championships in Salem, Va.

The Kingsmen (28-14) face Wisconsin Oshkosh (40-4) today at 9 a.m. in the double-elimination tournament. Oshkosh lost to Eastern Connecticut State, 9-3, on Saturday.

Second baseman Brandon Kopf provided the big hit for Aurora (32-4), winner of a school-record 26 consecutive games.

With Cal Lutheran ahead, 6-5, the rally came against relievers Erik Kiszczak (1-1) and Brian Malchow in the ninth.

Kiszczak, a junior right-hander making his first appearance since Feb. 21 because of an elbow injury, walked Eric Zaleski to open the inning and walked Aaron Brossett with two out to put runners at first and second.

Malchow replaced Kiszczak, who left after reinjuring the elbow, and was greeted by Kopf’s double to left field that scored Zaleski and Brossett.

“[Malchow] just missed a spot,” Coach Marty Slimak said of the pitch to Kopf. “They came up with the big hit when they needed it.”

Kiszczak worked 2 2/3 innings, striking out two and walking two.

“I felt a problem with the elbow on the first pitch,” Kiszczak said. “It kept getting worse.”

The Kingsmen led, 2-0, after one inning on Anthony Olden’s sacrifice fly and Donny Churchman’s run-scoring groundout.

Aurora tied the score, 2-2, in the third inning on two unearned runs against right-hander Adam Springston but Olden put the Kingsmen ahead, 3-2, with a two-out double that scored Clint Britt in the bottom half of the inning.

The Spartans touched Springston for another unearned run in the fourth to tie the score, 3-3, before Cal Lutheran answered with three runs in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead.

A single by Britt and a two-run double by Adam Rauch produced the three runs. Britt had three hits and Rauch had two.

Springston, who allowed five hits and walked five, gave way to Brock Benson with two runners on base and one out in the sixth. Dan Babler smashed a two-out, two-run double off Benson to pull Aurora within 6-5.

Kopf finished with two hits and teammate Mark Iannantuoni had two hits.

Dan Arendt (1-0) gave up two hits and struck out two in relief of starter Matt Deegan, a junior right-hander who yielded four hits, six walks and six runs.

Deegan and Cal Lutheran second baseman Joseph Jauregui, a senior from Santa Paula, on Saturday were selected to the Division III All-American second team.