Tashjian, LCSC enjoy second straight walk-off win
Bert Sahlberg, LCSC
LEWISTON, Idaho – Senior pinch-hitter Dylan Tashjian (SR/Palm Springs, Calif.) had his second straight game-winning walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning, this time with a three-run home run, to propel Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) past Faulkner (Ala.) 3-0 in the winner's bracket of the 2016 Avista-NAIA World Series at Harris Field on Monday night.
Tashjian, who had an RBI single in LCSC's 2-1 opening-round win over Science & Arts (Okla.), did it again when he took the first pitch from Faulkner closer Austin Moreland and put it over the right-field fence for his third home run of the season.
"I was just looking for something to hit and I think it was a slider," Tashjian said. "When you hit a ball and you don't feel it, you know you got it all. That's what it felt like."
"He's been in the program for two years and is an older senior and has been someone we have leaned on," LCSC coach Jeremiah Robbins said of Tashjian. "He is really special. He understands the game. It's hard to put into words. We really rely on him in a lot of ways."
LCSC became only the third World Series team in 40 years to win back-to-back games in walk-off fashion. LSU-Shreveport did it in 2011, and Southeast Oklahoma's two wins came in 1977.
Tashjian's shot broke up a scoreless contest dominated by starting pitchers. LCSC right-hander Quin Grogan (SR/Stanfield, Ore.) allowed five hits over seven innings and struck out 13, the second-highest strikeout total by an LCSC pitcher in a Series game. He threw 129 pitches, 89 of which were strikes.
Jake Barnett (JR/San Diego, Calif.) pitched the final two innings and picked up the win to improve to 6-1. He allowed one hit and gave up a walk, but also struck out one.
Faulkner starter Ivan Pelaez took the loss to fall to 6-3 despite allowing only four hits over 8.1 innings. He wound up being charged with two earned runs but struck out seven.
Pelaez took a three-hitter into the bottom of the ninth, but hit Robert Smith with a pitch to start the frame. Jacob Zanon (JR/Beaverton, Ore.) then singled through the right side to move Smith to second. After J.J. Robinson (JR/Colfax, Wash.) flew out to right, Faulkner changed pitchers to the hard-throwing right-hander Moreland. With the right-handed Micah Brown (SO/Medord, Ore.) due up, Robbins decided to go with the left-handed batter Tashjian, who produced the big hit.
"I knew I hit it hard," Tashjian said. "The feeling I had was to sprint around the bases and celebrate with my teammates. It's a great feeling."
Both teams had scoring opportunities in the contest, but couldn't produce. Faulkner left two base runners stranded at third, including one with one out in the fourth. It also stranded two on second and seven for the game.
LCSC got a two-out triple from Tyler McDowell (SO/Puyallup, Wash.) in the seventh, but left him there. The Warriors stranded four.
Lewis-Clark State (50-7) is one of two undefeated teams left in the 10-team double-elimination tournament and will play Tennessee Wesleyan (40-13) at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Faulkner (50-14) falls into the loser's brackets where it meets Sterling of Kansas (52-15) at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
"We have a long way to go," Robbins said. "I really like our pitching so far. I can take our effort. Guys are playing hard and we've won two games in a row in the ninth inning."
Stretch Internet, the NAIA's official video streaming company, is broadcasting the first 15 games of the 2016 Avista-NAIA World Series. An All-World Series package can be purchased for $29.95, while a day pass is available for $9.95. For more information, visit www.NAIANetwork.com.
The Avista-NAIA Baseball World Series is a 10-team, double-elimination event hosted by Lewis-Clark State (Idaho). For more information on the 60th annual event, click HERE.