Bees Fall to RCSJ-Gloucester in World Series Semifinals

GREENEVILLE, Tennessee – Dallas College Eastfield fell to top-seeded Rowan College South Jersey-Gloucester, 5-1, at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III World Series Tuesday.

The second-seeded Harvester Bees (47-12) will play in an elimination semifinal game 6 p.m. CT Wednesday against the winner of Niagra County Community College and Northern Essex Community College, who meet in Wednesday's 2:30 p.m. CT elimination game.  RCSJ-Gloucester (52-5) advances to Thursday's national championship round.

Eastfield's 15-game winning streak came to an end in Tuesday's semifinal loss, where the Bees were outhit, 9-8. Gloucester has won 18 straight games.

The Harvester Bees took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Cade Conway stole third, and scored on a throwing error. Conway, who went 1-for-4, had an infield single to lead off the game.

RCSJ answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Cole Fowler's run-producing double tied the game at 1. Fowler then scored on a wild pitch to give the Roadrunners the lead for good. They tacked on two more runs in the third on Rocko Brzezniak's RBI fielder's choice and Fowler's RBI single to left. That made it 4-1. Scotty Young's RBI fielder's choice in the eighth gave the Roadrunners a four-run lead.

RCSJ's Ethan Dodd (3-1) earned the win in relief after pitching five shutout innings. He allowed four hits and a walk, and struck out six. Ethan Shaub worked the first four innings, giving up four hits and an unearned run with no walks and four strikeouts. Eastfield's Marcus Peters (3-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs on two hits, no walks and two strikeouts in two innings. Stephen Pena allowed two runs on three hits, a walk and a strikeout in one inning. Jalen Johnston pitched three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk, while striking out three. Austin Noel gave up a run, two hits and a walk, and struck out three in two innings.

Eastfield's Kyson Snelson was 2-for-3 Gus Witt was 1-for-3 with a walk. Angel Rodriguez, Jayden Morgan and Hunter O'Shea all went 1-for-4. River Curs was 1-for-2.

Fowler was 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Roadrunners. Brzezniak was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Aaron Graeber also went 2-for-4.

Eastfield was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-16 with runners on base. Glocester went 3-for-13 and 6-for-23 in those situations.