DENISON TOPS LA ROCHE IN NCAA REGIONAL OPENER

La Roche University starting pitcher Tristin Tinney gave the Redhawks seven quality innings in La Roche's 4-0 loss to Denison University in the NCAA Regional opener on Friday. La Roche will play on Saturday at noon against the loser of Adrian and Heidelberg.

Joe Professori drew a 2-out walk and Shane Roebuck singled him over to third, but Denison got out of the top of the first unscathed. Tinney took the mound for his first NCAA Regional start and threw a scoreless first inning. Jay Novak helped Tinney get out of the inning with a running catch up against the wall.

Tinney continued to cruise through the Big Red batting order. He used a big swing and miss to leave runners at first and second to end the second. Troy Kifer and Austin Hoffman then made a pair of quality defensive plays in the third inning.

La Roche was thrown out at the plate for the second out in the top of the fourth and then a diving catch saved a run for the third out.

The Redhawks miss-played a ball in the bottom of the fourth to let Denison score an unearned run. The Big Red tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning.

Kifer charged down the third base line for a diving catch and a Tinney scoreless sixth inning. Tinney followed with a perfect seventh and Dustin Lander came in to toss a scoreless eighth inning.

The Redhawks however were unable to find a run and Denison held on for victory.

Tinney went seven innings, allowing just five hits and three unearned runs. Roebuck provided a pair of hits while Professori got on base twice.