Tyler JC Bumps MCC From World Series

TYLER, TX – Josh Salmon was 4 for 5 with three RBI and four runs scored as Tyler Junior College ended Manchester Community College’s stay at the NJCAA Division III World Series with a 14-4 victory Tuesday afternoon at Mike Carter Field.

Tournament host Tyler (46-13) received three-run doubles from Ryan Williams and Eric Weiss and a solo home run from Conn McWilliams before closing out the Cougars (30-23) in seven innings with the mercy rule.

Joey Allison (East Hartford) was 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and A. J. Lowers (Newington) had a two-run double in the seventh inning as MCC finished in fourth place in the eight-team field.

“The guys went down swinging,” MCC head coach Chris Strahowski said moments after his 11th season ended. “We put (3) runs on board in the last inning and the guys never quit on us. Now we know what we have to do to get to the next level.” The Cougars went 2-2 in their third consecutive trip to the series under Strahowski (191-148-3), improving on 1-2 and 0-2 records in ’09 and ’08 respectively.

Tyler scored a pair of unearned runs in the first inning off starter Adam Scanlon (South Windsor) and held a 6-1 lead after three innings. Tyler starter Jacob Yanker (4-1) was charged with all four Manchester runs on nine hits over 6.1 innings.

Taylor Riley (Simsbury) was 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI for MCC.

TJC beat Herkimer CC 9-8 in the loser’s bracket final Tuesday night and will face Gloucester CC in the championship round of the double-elimination tournament starting Wednesday night.

Gloucester is 3-0 in the tournament and needs just one victory to clinch the title. TJC is 2-1 and would need to beat Gloucester Wednesday and Thursday night to win its second national championship. Tyler was the 2007 champions in its first year as tournament host.