Rollins baseball seeks redemption in D-II national championship tournament
The road to the 2023 NCAA Division II national championship began for Rollins baseball almost exactly a year ago.
That’s when Point Loma halted the Tars’ incredible run in the national semifinals, defeating the South Super Regional champions 2-0 and taking their seat at the national championship table.
The Tars have kept their eyes on the prize ever since.
No. 4-seeded Rollins (39-17) returns to Cary, N.C., for another shot at winning the whole thing. They will compete against No. 5 Cal State San Bernardino (43-17) this weekend in the NCAA Round of Eight.
The double-elimination tournament game is Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
The Tars enter the game on a high note, having swept Barry University in the South Super Regional championship. Yet so will the ‘Yotes, who swept Cal State Monterey Bay in the West Super Regional championship.
The ‘Yotes are the lone team to make their finals debut, and this could be where the Tars hold the upper hand with experience. Regardless, San Bernadino shouldn’t be underestimated. Outfielder Giovanni Del Negro (.387, 14 doubles, 13 home runs) leads the ‘Yotes’ offense, which touts three other players with double-digit home runs.
The Tars will need to bring their best defense, turning to All-Sunshine State Conference selection pitchers Edward Berry and Nick Berger. Berry leads the team in strikeouts with 68 and holds his opponents to a .229 batting average. Berger, who has thrown the most innings at 88.1, has a team-best 3.54 ERA. Backing them up is a lockdown defense that averages less than one error per game and has turned 51 double plays.
Rollins brings its own firepower on offense. Outfielder Parker Smith is the SSC home-run leader with 21. Catcher Spencer Sarringar is hitting a team-high .377 with a .462 on-base frequency, and first baseman and pitcher Jeslyn Whitehead, a UCF transfer, is nearing the season hits record for the Tars with 92 (Taylor Ferguson, 99, in 2010).
Both teams will play again Monday afternoon. The semifinals begin Wednesday, and the final is next Saturday.
