#5 WVU Tech advances to final day of #RSCBASEBALL with 8-6 win over #3 Rio Grande

5/9/2017 12:00:00 AM

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio -- No. 5 seed WVU Tech advanced to the final day of the River States Conference Baseball Tournament with an 8-6 win over No. 3 University of Rio Grande on Monday from VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio.

WVU Tech (30-27) erased a 5-2 deficit behind the bat of third baseman Jacob Reimold, who days earlier was named the RSC Baseball Freshman of the Year. Reimold homered twice, drove in four runs and was 3 for 5. He drew the Golden Bears within 5-4 with his solo homer in the sixth. In the seventh, he put WVU Tech ahead, 6-5, with an RBI base hit.

After Rio Grande had tied things up at 1-1 on Cody Blackburn's clutch, RBI double in the last of the seventh, Reimold saved his best for the ninth inning. Batting in the visitor's half, Reimold went opposite field on a line drive over the wall in right-center field for a two-run homer. That drove in the eventual winning runs, 8-6.

Rio Grande made a big threat in the bottom of the ninth loading the bases with one out. But WVU Tech brought in Jerod Jobst, who was working on one day's rest after pitching eight innings on Saturday. He induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

With the win, WVU Tech moves on to the final day Tuesday, which will have no more than three teams left at that point. Depending on the result of the final game on Monday, it could be just WVU Tech versus Midway remaining for the championship.

If IU Southeast beats Midway on Monday night (7 pm), then there would be three teams left. Either way, WVU Tech will play next on Tuesday at 11 a.m. and will need two victories Tuesday for the title. It would be two wins over Midway or one over Midway followed by a win over IU Southeast.

Rio Grande built a 5-2 lead on Luis Jimenez's three-run homer in the four-run fourth. Jimenez was 3 for 5 to account for three of the RedStorm's seven hits.

WVU Tech had 12 hits with Doug Prather 2 for 4 with a triple and an RBI. Chris Davidson went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Trevor Lam also stroked two hits.

Jason Sykora started for the Golden Bears and was the first of six pitchers to work for his team. He went 4.0 innings giving up five runs (one earned) on four hits.

Osvaldo Duran started for Rio Grande and pitched into the seventh inning. In 6.2 innings of work, Duran gave up six runs on eight hits. He turned a 6-5 deficit over to the bullpen in the seventh.

Follow the River States Conference Baseball Tournament at RiverStatesConference.com and on Twitter @RiverStatesConf hashtag #RSCBASEBALL.