KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Top seeded Tennessee Wesleyan (47-12) benefited from two solo home runs to defeat St. Thomas (36-21) 2-1 at the Opening Round of the NAIA Baseball National Championship at Hunter Bryce Stadium.  St. Thomas will now play an elimination game on Thursday at 11 a.m. against the winner of Wednesday night's game between no. 4 seed Indiana Tech and no. 5 seed Rio Grande (Ohio).

Tennessee Wesleyan hit two solo home runs which proved to be the difference Wednesday as Alfred Cruz hit a solo shot in the fifth followed by a solo homer by Wardy Polanco in the sixth.

Down 2-0, the Bobcats scored a run in the top of the eighth to cut the deficit in half.  Steve Fischer hit a double to deep right field, then was pinch run for with Adam Duarte who advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Cesar Ramirez (2-3, Double, RBI) then hit a sacrifice fly to center that scored Duarte.

Despite being just a run down, STU was unable to muster any offense in the ninth other than a walk by Kendrick Gutierrez as TWC's Ryan Bright earned his fourth save of the season.

Ryan Hartman (9-0) was the winning pitcher for the Bulldogs, while starter Alex Hernandez (6-4) took the loss for the Bobcats despite a strong performance.  Hernandez went seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

Brandon Valentin came in to relieve Hernandez and pitched a scoreless eighth.

St. Thomas now must win three games to win the Kingston Bracket.  The Bobcats will have to defeat either Indiana Tech or Rio Grande on Thursday at 11 a.m. which would set up a rematch vs. Tennessee Wesleyan on Thursday afternoon.  A win vs. TWC on Thursday would then set up a winner-take-all elimination game on Friday between the Bobcats and Bulldogs.

The winner of five-team, double-elimination tournament will advance to the Avista-NAIA World Series to be held May 27 – June 3 in Lewiston, Idaho.

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