ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The final scores didn't go Cornell's way in its first appearance at the NCAA Division III Regional Baseball Tournament.
That didn't diminish what was a historic campaign for Coach Seth Wing's rising program, which was eliminated from the St. Louis Regional Saturday morning in a tough 3-2 loss to 25th-ranked Aurora at Wash U's Kelly Field.
Cornell bowed out with a 26-19 record, which included a 14-1 regional setback to third-ranked Wash U. on Friday. The 2019 Midwest Conference Tournament champions wound up the second-winningest team in Cornell history.
Cornell's all-MWC senior Sam Kornstad (SR/Urbandale, Iowa) outlasted Aurora's Kyle Blunt (7-0) in a marquee pitching matchup of undefeated left-handers. Kornstad (4-1) was one strike away from sending the Rams to the eighth inning with a 2-0 lead.
Back-to-back walks and a bunt single loaded the bases for Aurora in the bottom of the seventh. Kornstad kept them there momentarily, retiring the next two batters with a fly out to left and a strikeout looking.
That brought to the plate Aurora's leadoff hitter David Purviance, who sent an 0-2 fastball off the center-field fence for a bases-clearing triple that put the Spartans ahead 3-2.
The Rams had many scoring chances throughout the contest, leaving 10 runners on base. They mounted one last threat in the top of the ninth against reliever Nicholas Mathey as Caleb Sass (SO/Iowa City, Iowa) started the frame by reaching on a fielding error.
The Spartans erased Sass with a double-play ground ball. Caleb Wichman (SR/Crescent, Iowa) followed with a two-out single, but Aurora then ended the rally with a comebacker to the pitcher.
Wichman, the MWC South Division Position Player of the Year, finished a fantastic season going 3-for-5 with a run and RBI. The senior unlocked a scoreless game with a solo homer to left-center in the sixth. Cornell had the bases loaded with one out later in the inning, but couldn't add to its lead.
The Rams made it 2-0 in the seventh when Sass walked, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch.
Cornell outhit the Spartans, 8-6. Kornstad struck out four and walked two. Adam Tvedt (JR/Cedar Rapids, Iowa) fired a scoreless eighth for the Rams.
Wichman closed his big spring with a school-record 69 hits and record-tying 49 runs. His 113 total bases were one shy of the season mark.
Wash U. Regional
Kelly Field, St. Louis, Mo.
Friday's results
Wash U. 14, Cornell 1
Coe 10, Aurora 1
Saturday's games
Aurora 3, Cornell 2
Game 4, 12 p.m. – Wash U. vs. Coe
Game 5, 3:30 p.m. – Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser
Sunday's game(s)
Game 6, 11 a.m. – Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner
Game 7, 2:30 p.m. – Rematch of Game 6 (if necessary)
