ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, May 29, 1996 TAG: 9605290074
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
How long does a drive for redemption last? The answer will come at noon today when California Lutheran and William Paterson (N.J.) meet for the 1996 NCAA Division III baseball championship at Salem Memorial Stadium.
Cal Lutheran ensured the matchup by downing William Paterson, previously the tournament's only unbeaten team, 3-2 on Tuesday, and closing the day's action with a 3-1 victory over Bridgewater (Mass.) State. (Line scores in Baseball Scoreboard.) The second victory eliminated Bridgewater State and brought Cal Lutheran (34-13-1) out of the losers' bracket and onto equal footing with William Paterson (38-5-1).
The Kingsmen haven't been in that situation since Thursday, when they lost their first game of the series 4-0 to Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
``We've never been in a situation where we can pick what we want to do,'' said Marty Slimak, Cal Lutheran's coach. ``When you come to the national championship, you have to beat everybody anyway.''
Cal Lutheran was a favorite to beat everybody when it reached the championship series in 1992. The Kingsmen, however, met William Paterson in the final game and were beaten 3-1 on a ninth-inning two-run homer by Ralph Perdomo. Slimak was a Cal Lutheran assistant under coach Rich Hill at the time.
``It's interesting it's played out the way it's played out,'' Slimak said. ``I can't wait to give [Hill] a call tonight and say, `You're not going to believe it, but it's happening again.'''
Starting pitcher Andrew Barber, whose brother, Tim, pitched for Cal Lutheran's '92 runner-up team, helped make it happen. Barber (8-3) threw a complete game, the Kingsmen's third in four series games at that point, to beat William Paterson in Tuesday's first game. His team gave him three runs to work with in the first inning, and Barber couldn't be stopped after that, even after taking a hard line drive off his right (throwing) hand.
``We weren't getting him out of there with a Howitzer,'' said Jeff Albies, William Paterson's coach.
Another Kingsmen pitcher, Richard Bell, put an end to Bridgewater (Mass.) State's spectacular and improbable run in the second game. Bell (10-3) also pitched a complete game, striking out six and allowing no earned runs.
``Our pitching got us here,'' Slimak said.
``If they have a good game, we have to get their backs, so to speak,'' said Cal Lutheran catcher Tom McGee.
Bridgewater State, which had evolved into the sentimental favorite of many, loaded the bases in the top of the ninth. The Bears shook their rally hats with the count at 2-2 and two out, but No.9 batter Brian DeSantes (3-for-3 to that point) popped up to end the game.
``Every single game has a life of its own,'' said Rick Smith, Bridgewater State's coach. ``I think the whole team is disappointed, but it's hard to be disappointed with the season we had. We sent three teams home.''
The Bears were unranked in the preseason Division III New England region poll. Bridgewater State's two series losses came at the hands of Cal Lutheran and William Paterson.
``I thought William Paterson, in my opinion, is a little better team,'' Smith said. ``They can hit the ball much harder and they're more of an aggressive swinging team that can put runs up fast.''
The Pioneers will start ace pitcher Brian Appelman (11-0 and a third-team All-American), while Cal Lutheran will go with freshman phenom Eric Kisczcak (9-2).
After falling to the Kingsmen, redemption may be equally prevalent in William Paterson's minds. Just don't tell Slimak.
``I can't believe the battles that went on in '92, and now that we're back, it's spooky,'' he said. ``It never has left my mind, and I don't think it ever will.''
LENGTH: Medium: 73 linesby CNB