Richland Bows Out in NJCAA DIII Semifinals

ALL-TOURNAMENT AWARDS

AUBURN, N.Y. -- Dallas College Richland fell to Dallas College Eastfield in a heartbreaking 5-4 loss in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III World Series semifinals Wednesday at Falcon Park.

It was Richland's first postseason loss to Eastfield in four games this year. 

Eastfield, who eventually lost in the national championship round to defending champion Rowan College South Jersey Gloucester, scored the game's first three runs in the bottom of the first on Payton Poole's RBI single to center and JJ Bush's two-run homer to right. The Bees added a run in the fifth when Poole drove a ball to left to score Garret Hendricks. That made it 4-0.

Richland (42-20) scored a run in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings to knot the game at 4-4. Kelton Phillips' RBI groundout to shortstop scored Jouseph Gelpi in the sixth. Phillips had a sacrifice fly to left in the seventh that cut the lead in half. Robby Lopez singled to right to drive in Hernan Zamora in the eighth. Teagan Peeples singled to left to score Connor Haelzle to tie the game in the ninth.

But Josh Vaughn's walk-off RBI single to center scored Jonathan Wheeler for the gamewinning run to send the Bees to the championship round, where they would've needed to beat Gloucester twice over two days to claim the title in the double-elimination tournament.

Eastfield's Ryan Dyer (4-2) got the win in relief, working the final two innings, and allowing two runs on four hits. Richland's Vince Ray (3-1) took the loss, allowing a run and a walk over the final inning and a third.

Bush was 2-for-3 with a double and the homer to go along with his two RBI. Poole went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Vaughn went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Curs was 1-for-3 with a stolen base.

Peeples collected three hits and a walk in five plate appearances. Lopez was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Trey Smith went 2-for-4.

Eastfield and Richland each won five games off the other during the season.