UT Tyler within one win of D3 national title after 8-1 win over TLU. Gm 2 – 2 pm. #D3b #SCACbsb #KB4 https://t.co/OeY8HhvXiw
— TLU Bulldogs (@tluathletics) May 29, 2018
Simon Sedillo pitched a complete game Tuesday in leading UT Tyler’s 8-1 victory over the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs in Game 1 of a best-of-3 series for the NCAA Division III baseball title.
Game 2 is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Tuesday. A third game, if necessary, would be played Wednesday. The tournament is taking place at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wis.
The Patriots scored two runs in the top of the first against TLU starting pitcher Nathan Malinovsky, who left the game after the inning with an apparent throwing arm injury.
In the fourth, UT Tyler broke through against the Bulldogs’ bullpen, scoring five more times for a 7-1 lead. Jared Pauley smashed a two-run double and Josh Burns added a two-run single to highlight the outburst.
The Patriots played a near flawless game. While Sedillo pitched well, the defense also sparkled, turning three double plays. They also stroked 11 hits against three TLU pitchers.
Sedillo worked nine innings and gave up one earned run on six hits. He struck out five and walked none.
From here, it will be an uphill battle for a Texas Lutheran program seeking its first national title in baseball. But it’s not likely that the Bulldogs will go down without a fight.
After all, TLU bounced back from a Saturday night loss to Concordia to win three straight games en route to the Pool B championship.
In each of those games, the opponent scored first before the Bulldogs rebounded to win.
Records
UT Tyler 39-18
Texas Lutheran 42-11