Thomas More baseball captures PAC championship, earns berth in NCAA Division III Tournament

NKyTribune staff

WASHINGTON, Pa. — Jacob Whitford went 3-for-3 with four runs batted in as the Thomas More College baseball team captured the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Tournament championship with a 7-5 victory over top-seeded Washington & Jefferson College on Saturday.

Tyler Smith was 2-for-4 and scored three times for Thomas More, which improved to 24-18 and earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The second-seeded Saints built a 6-1 lead after five innings and held off a late Washington & Jefferson rally to win the title.

Thomas More has now captured five PAC baseball championships since 2006.

Justin Ward pitched the final 2 2/3 innings and allowed just one hit to earn the save. Ward also collected four strikeouts. Sean Lawrence recorded the win by going 6 1/3 innings and allowing five runs on 10 hits.

Whitford’s two-run triple down the right-field line in the third inning extended Thomas More’s lead to 4-1. Washington & Jefferson (28-16-1) had forced the winner-take-all championship game earlier in the day with an 8-7 victory over Thomas More.

Mark Merlino’s two-run homer in the seventh inning cut the Thomas More lead to 7-5, but Ward came out of the bullpen and sealed the championship for the Saints.

It marked the Thomas More athletic program’s 57th and final PAC championship. Thomas More is leaving the PAC and will play as an NCAA Division III independent next year.