SPRINGFIELD, IL- The Warriors defeated Southern Virginia University today, May 9, 8-7 to advance to the next round of the Small College World Series. After a wild, back-and-forth last inning, Eric Ramirez (San Antonio, TX/Catholic Central) singled to third to bring in the winning run. 

Alex Hacias (Sterling Heights, MI/Macomb CC) led the Warriors at the plate, going 2 for 3 with an RBI and a walk. Ramirez finished the game 3 for 5 with the game winning RBI and a run. He was selected as the game MVP. David Woodson (Vallejo, CA/Vallejo) went 1 for 4 with a run and an RBI. Carlos Zabaleta (Colonia, NJ/Sussex CC) and Lance Teeples (Flushing, MI/Flushing) each added an RBI to Rochester College's total. Austin Timmerman (Richmond, MI/Richmond) went 6.2 innings on the mound, giving up 5 hits and 5 earned runs. Andrew Jarrell (Commerce, MI/Walled Lake Northern) earned the win, giving up 1 hit in .1 innings of work. 

Andrew Snider had 2 RBIs off of 1 for 2 at the plate and a run. Mitch Stevenson was 2 for 3 for the Knights with an RBI and 3 runs. Mitch Mantle started the game on the mound for Southern Virginia, and gave up 4 runs in 3 innings. Jordan Stailey pitched 3 innings, giving up 4 runs and walking 1 batter to earn the loss. 

Southern Virginia got off to a hot start in the top of the first, scoring 2 runs off of 1 hit. The Knights did not let up in the second, adding another run by Mantle off the Stevenson RBI. Down 3-0 going into the bottom of the third, the Warriors answered back with a 3 run rally. Ryan Chipka (Waterville, OH/Anthony Wayne) scored on an error by Brandon Alexander to put Rochester College on the board. Woodson then doubled to right field to score Ramirez. Hacias singled to bring in Woodson from second to conclude the scoring for Rochester College in the third. 

The Warriors took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth, scoring 1 run thanks to 3 errors made by the Knights in the inning. The lead was short lived though after Snider hit a sacrifice fly ball to center field to bring in Stevenson. 

The game was tied 4-4 going into the top of the seventh inning. Timmerman started the inning by giving up an early run. Jarrell came in as relief with 2 outs, but gave up another 2 runs before Alexander flied out to short. 

Trailing 7-4, Hacias led off for the Warriors in the bottom of the seventh. Rochester College loaded the bases with no outs thanks to a walk and two singles. Zabaleta brought a run in with an RBI single to right center field. Teeples then hit a sacrifice fly ball to score another run, bringing the tally to 7-6 in favor of Southern Virginia. The Warriors tied the game up after a throwing error scored pinch runner Andrew Baumgartner (Muskegon, MI/Muskegon CC), and put Chaz Hill (Imlay City, MI/Lapeer East) on second base. Chipka advanced Hill with a single to short. With two outs and runners at the corners, Ramirez hit a walk off RBI single to third to give Rochester College the 8-7 victory. 

Rochester College will play Spalding University tomorrow, May 10, at 11 AM. The winner will advance to play The Apprentice School for the national championship tomorrow, May 10, at 2:30 PM, and a second game if necessary at 6 PM.