APPLETON- Behind a heavily supported fan base, the Pointers were unable to hold onto a six run lead as SUNY-Cortland's John Zilnicki singled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to defeat UW-Stevens Point 9-8 in the opening game of the 2010 Division III Baseball Championship at Time Warner Cable Field in Fox Cities Stadium.

SUNY-Cortland 9 - UW-Stevens Point 8

The first game featured the UW-Stevens Point Pointers (33-17) out of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the State University of New York-Cortland Red Dragons (37-8-1) from the State University of New York Athletic Conference.

Stevens Point came out of the Midwest Regional in Whitewater as they defeated UW-Whitewater 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth to reach the World Series for the fourth time in school history. SUNY-Cortland reached the tournament via the New York Regional in Auburn, N.Y. by defeating St. John Fisher 7-6 to make their 10th World Series appearance.

In the opening inning, both teams plated single runs to get the tournament underway. In the top half of the first, the Pointers drew three consecutive walks off Red Dragons' starter Travis Ratliff with no outs. Justin Jirschele (Clintonville) then plated Brad Archambeau (Watertown) on a sacrifice fly, but Ratliff regained composure and allowed just one run in the inning.

The Red Dragons tied up the game in the next half inning as Anderson Gardner singled home Matt June after he led off the inning with an infield single.

Ratliff looked as he was settling in as he retired the first two batters of the second, however, Travis Tuschen (Sun Prairie) hit a high chopper down the third base line to reach and start a Pointer rally with two outs. Archambeau then doubled to left center field and Eric Fritz (Custer) drew his second walk of the game to load the bases for Jeremy Richter (Rosholt). Richter followed up with his second four pitch walk of the game to retake the lead for the Pointers as Ratliff struggled once again to locate the strike zone. Sam Spurney (Manitowoc) stepped up next with the bases loaded and doubled to right center field, clearing the bases vaulting Point in front 5-1 after one and a half.

The five earned runs charged to Ratliff and a callus on his pitching hand was enough to chase him from the game and SUNY-Cortland called on Adam Brown out of the bullpen to keep the game close. Jordan Rennicke (Mequon) greeted him with a single to lead off the inning and Jared Surman (Kimberly) reached on a walk. Dan Douglas (East Troy) stepped in next and placed a bunt perfectly down the third base line to load the bases up once again. Rennicke scored the sixth run of the game for the Pointers when Tuschen grounded out to third base to take a five run advantage. Archambeau continued his hot hitting as of late as he plated the second run of the inning on a single through the right side to bring home Surman and giving the Pointers a 7-1 advantage.

The Red Dragons were able to touch up Pointer starter Joel Delorit (Sturgeon Bay) in their half of the fourth as they pushed two runs across on two hits. Khyle Dimino plated both runs with two outs on a single to left field, scoring Gardner and Adam Dimino to close the gap to 7-3.

SUNY-Cortland was able to push across another run in the fifth as Alex Coffey reached on an error to lead off the inning. He later came around to score an unearned run on a ground out to first by Gardner, cutting the deficit to 7-4 Pointers.

As the Red Dragons took advantage of an error in the fifth, the Pointers were also able to take advantage of a miscue from the defense. Jirschele reached on an error to start the inning and was eventually moved up to third when Douglas singled to left field. Tuschen then drove his second run of the afternoon when he singled to third base, platting Jirschele.

Delorit got back in a groove as he was able to sit the Red Dragons down in order in the sixth and seventh innings, holding Point's 8-4 lead in tact. Delorit faced one batter in the eighth before he exited, leaving senior Tyler Lorenz (Pembine) to try and hold the lead. Steve Nickel poked a pitch down the right field line and an unsuccessful dive by Archambeau proved costly as Nickel was able to head into third on an RBI triple. Jason Simone then plated Nickel when on a ground out to Tuschen at second, cutting Point's once six run lead to just two.

Lorenz continued to struggle to find the strike zone as he walked the bases loaded and eventually gave way to Ryan Iverson (Eau Claire) to try to get out of the jam. Iverson had no such luck as Damon Arnold coaxed the fifth walk of the inning, this time resulting in a run scored. Iverson looked to be in trouble again as he was in a 3-2 count against leadoff hitter June but he lined sharply out to Fritz and alertly converted the third double play of the afternoon by picking the runner off at third.

Spurney reached in the Pointers half of the ninth but was unable to come around and gain any breathing room with Point taking an 8-7 lead into the final half inning.

Junior Scott Williams (Baraboo) then was called upon to close out the game; however, Adam Dimino began the inning with a single through the left side and moved up to second on a throwing error by Steve Considine (Portage).  Dimino then advanced to third on a groundout to second by Gardner, leaving a runner at third with one out.  Nickel then walked and Simone singled back threw the box, scoring Dimino to even the game at eight apiece.  Williams followed up with a strike out but Zilniki came up next and dumped a ball in front of Archambeau to score the winning run in walk-off fashion for the Red Dragons.

Michael Mahay picked up the win as he pitched 3.1 innings of scoreless ball, allowing just four hits. Williams (10-3) suffered the loss as he gave up three hits, two walks and two earned runs in two thirds of an inning.

Archambeau, Spurney, Douglas and Tuschen each tallied two hits for the Pointers. Spurney also led the team with three RBIs and Tuschen added two of his own.

Adam Dimino and Garnder led the Red Dragons with two hits apiece. Gardner, Simone and Khyle Dimino also added two RBIs apiece in the game.

The Pointers missed numerous opportunities through the game to plate more runs as they left 15 runners on. Stevens Point also hurt themselves on the mound as four pitchers combined for nine walks.

UW-Stevens Point will now enter the loser's bracket and continue play tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. They will the University of Massachusetts-Boston in the first elimination game of the 2010 World Series.