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Hope International University

HIU vs GGC BSB
Spencer Farrin
15
Winner Hope International HIU 44-16
11
Georgia Gwinnett GGC 53-9
Winner
Hope International HIU
44-16
15
Final
11
Georgia Gwinnett GGC
53-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Hope International HIU 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 4 6 15 20 2
Georgia Gwinnett GGC 1 5 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 11 13 2

W: Ordorica, Steven (3-1) L: A. Testerman (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Robert Nilsen

Royals Advance to World Series Championship Game With Sensational Late Inning Comeback

Lewiston, ID – The No. 10 Hope International University baseball team (44-16) did it the hard way by rallying from a six run deficit in the final two innings to win their fourth elimination game in a row at the Avista NAIA World Series as they upset the second seeded No. 2 Georgia Gwinett College Grizzlies 15-11 on Wednesday afternoon at Harris Field in Lewiston, ID. 

David Rudd-Grow got the start and pitched 1 2/3 innings allowing six runs one earned on six hits while walking one. Steven Ordorica (3-1) picked up the win in relief pitching 3 shutout innings allowing just one hit while striking out one. JJ Cruz led the Royals offense going 5-for-6 with 5 RBIs and one home run.

The Royals got off to a great start as they got back to back singles before Cruz crushed a three run bomb to right center for his 16th homerun of the year to put the Royals up 3-0. The Grizzlies would quickly pull a run back in the bottom of the first to make it 3-1. The Grizzlies then took advantage of an error and a series of misplays by the Royals to score five runs in the bottom of the second to take a 6-3 lead. The Royals tried to hold the Grizzlies at bay but they continued to score in the third as they took an 8-3 advantage. 

Facing their biggest deficit of the World Series the Royals offense rallied in the top of the fifth. It was Cruz again who came up big as he delivered an RBI double to left center to cut their deficit to 8-4. The Royals then loaded the bases for Derek Sims who came through with a sac fly to center to pull the Royals within 8-5. The Grizzlies weren't done either though as they struck for three runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead to 11-5. Chandler De Jong who had come in from the bullpen then limited the damage inducing a groundout with runners on the corners and two down to limit the damage.

De Jong then put the Grizzlies down in order in the bottom of the sixth and was followed by Ordorica who pitched a scoreless seventh as the Royals kept the Grizzlies from adding to their lead. Needing their biggest comeback of the season the Royals began the top of the eighth with a bang as Derek Sims led off the inning with his fifth home run of the year and third in the NAIA Championships to make it 11-6. Later with two outs the Royals got back to back doubles from Amari Bartee and David Rivera to cut the deficit to 11-7. The Royals weren't done yet as two batters later Cruz delivered a bloop double down the left field line that was originally ruled foul but overturned on review to make it 11-8. Alex Moreno would then score on a wild pitch to make it 11-9.

Ordorica then put the Grizzlies down in order in the bottom of the eighth while the Royals offense looked to continue their rally in the top of the ninth. After back to back walks Mylan Jones delivered a perfect bunt down the line, reminiscent of the bunt Gregor Blanco put down in the 2012 MLB World Series for the San Francisco Giants, to load the bases with nobody out. After a strikeout Bartee was hit in the shoulder to make it 11-10 and then Rivera worked a walk to tie the game 11-11. Moreno then came through with a two run single to short to put the Royals back on top 13-11. The Royals still weren't done as Alec Arnone bashed a two run single off the left field wall to increase the Royals lead to 15-11. Ordorica then shutdown the Grizzlies in the bottom of the ninth getting a strikeout and a double play to seal the win and advance the Royals to their first ever NAIA Championship game. It was the first time all season the Royals had won a game after allowing more than eight runs and it was the biggest comeback all season.

With the win the Royals advance to their first ever Avista NAIA World Series Championship Game as they will take on the winner of tomorrow's Reinhardt and Tennessee Wesleyan game on Friday, May 31 at 6:35 PM at Harris Field in Lewiston, ID. With three teams having one loss the Royals have a bye since they are the only team remaining that hasn't had one yet. The Royals also become the fourth team in World Series history to advance to the Championship game after losing their first game and first since 2006.

Head Coach Larry Mahoney after the game on today's comeback, "I told the team that we have been here before, and we have lost before. I also reminded them that we rattled off 19 wins in a row before, so losing this 1st one just give us a chance to make another run at a streak. I also told them we have the right guys here to do anything, they just have to compete, have fun and have each other's back."





 
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