Box Score PITTSBURGH -- Sebastian Rodriguez flirted with a perfect game and struck out 16 batters in a 4-1, Senior Day victory for Point Park University baseball over Oakland City (Ind.) University on Saturday.
In a game that lasted a little over 90 minutes, Rodriguez mowed down the Mighty Oaks. He retired the first 23 batters he faced to take a perfect game all the until two outs in the eighth inning.
Although a 50-foot, infield single ended the perfect-game bid, Rodriguez ended with a two-hit gem. His 16 strikeouts came versus zero walks as the Oakland City hitters barely touched him.
Offensively, Point Park scored in four different innings for the 4-1 victory. Rodriguez gave up his only run in the top of the eighth.
The win ended the regular season for the Pioneers with a record of 32-14, 20-7 RSC. Point Park ends in a three-way tie for the best record in the regular season along with Midway (Ky.) and IU Southeast, all at 20-7.
Saturday's win clinched the No. 2 seed in the RSC Baseball Championship for the Pioneers. Point Park will once again be one of the top seeds when the six-team, double-elimination tournament takes place May 4-7 in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Tiebreakers give Midway (Ky.) the No. 1 seed, and IU Southeast will be the No. 3 seed. Other playoff qualifiers are No. 4 IU Kokomo, No. 5 Rio Grande (Ohio) and No. 6 Oakland City (Ind.).
Oakland City earned its playoff spot by winning the first game over Point Park, 3-2, on Thursday and then getting a loss by Ohio Christian on Friday. But after that win, the Mighty Oaks were dominated by Point Park. Rodriguez picked up right where Pioneers' Game 2 starter Javier Cardoso left off with his shutout to split Thursday's games.
With Rodriguez rolling, Point Park got out to a 3-0 lead through four innings of the series finale. Michali Brito figured heavily into that with a sacrifice fly in the first inning and an RBI double in the third. Brito was 2 for 3 in the game, as was Jared Campbell, who got on base to set up both of those scoring innings.
Another season was Justin Oakley, who started the fourth inning with a base hit. He stole second, and after a later hit by Carlos Burroughs, he moved to third. That duo executed a double steal for the next run. Oakley also had a sacrifice fly later on in his Senior Day.
The final of the three seniors honor was Easton Klein, who took the tough-luck loss in the series opener. He pitched into the sixth inning and was saddled with the loss despite only two earned runs allowed. He takes a career 20-7 record into the playoffs.
Also recognized after the game was center fielder Jared Campbell, who set the all-time team record for home runs in the single season. He had 15 to set the all-time mark. The team was also recognized for hitting 66 homers so far, the most-ever for the team in a single season.
Check back later for more information on the RSC Baseball Championship and for postseason coverage.
