Battling Bishops end season at NCAA Baseball South Regional

Salisbury, MD - North Carolina Wesleyan's baseball season came to an end on Thursday afternoon in Salisbury, MD as the Battling Bishops were eliminated from the NCAA South Regional with a 14-2 loss to Johns Hopkins University. The Bishops, who fell in the opening round to York College (PA) by a 12-1 score, finish the year with a 27-21 overall record. Despite the pair of losses, however, the 2009 season will forever be highlighted by the program's 1000th victory, 16th regular season USA South Championship, 6th USA South Tournament Title, and 21st NCAA Tournament bid.

Against York on Wednesday, the Spartans put up three-spots in the third and fifth innings before erupting for six runs in the sixth to take a 12-0 lead. Wesleyan's lone run came on an RBI-double by Justin Tuck in the ninth.

Sophomore Justin Rahm finished 2-for-3 to lead the Battling Bishops at the plate, while senior Ben Moore (8-2) took the loss on the mound.

In Thursday's elimination game, the Bishops jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI-single by Justin Batts. JHU's Jesse Sikorski, however, capped a six-run first for the Blue Jays with a grand slam to right field. Johns Hopkins did not look back en route to the 12-run victory.

Travis Beausoleil, Zollie Woodlief, and Daniel Moore led Wesleyan's offensive efforts with 2-for-4 showings at the plate, with Woodlief blasting his ninth homerun of the season in the sixth inning. Senior Jonathan Lucas (2-5) suffered the loss on the mound.

Thursday's game marked the end of the careers of NCWC's eight seniors: Travis Beausoleil, Ben Moore, Jonathan Shearon, Justin Batts, Jonathan Lucas, Luke Williford, Zollie Woodlief, and Justin Tuck. These eight young men led the Bishops to 114 victories over their four-year careers, including two USA South Regular Season Championships, two USA South Tournament Championships, two NCAA Tournament appearances, one South Regional Championship, and a Division III World Series appearance. Their baseball abilities and leadership will be truly missed.
 

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