Columbia Union Knocks Off Apprentice 6-3 To Reach USCAA Finals

HAMPTON, VA. - Hector Sepulveda was 2-for-2 and Robert Arvanites had a two-run triple as third-seeded Columbia Union College defeated fifth-seeded Apprentice School 6-3 in the USCAA Baseball Championships on Wednesday night.

Columbia Union now advances to the USCAA Finals where they'll face the winner of Thursday's 11 am game between Apprentice School and Robert Morris-Springfield.  The championship game is scheduled for a 1:30 pm start with an if necessary game 30 minutes following.

The Pioneers started the scoring in the first inning as Richard Arciniega singled in Sepulveda who earlier singled.  In the second, Arvanites walked, stole second and scored on a single from Jason Torgerson.

They added a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings as Arvanites tripled to right center scoring Kyle Bahrle who reached on an error.  In the fifth, they scored both runs on throwing errors.

Apprentice School mounted a comeback in the sixth as J.D. Drewry started with a single and scored on Jonathan Dehoux's third home run of the tournament and ninth on the season.  In the seventh, the Builders scored as Drewry's single to right center plated Eric Polk who started with a single.  Apprentice School left the bases loaded in the seventh as Scott Elliot forced a groundout from Kyle Center to end the game.

Drewry and Dehoux had a pair of hits each for the Builders, while Sepulveda had a pair for Columbia Union.  Dehoux's leadoff single in the fourth inning gave him the school single season hits record now with 69.

COLUMBIA UNION 6, APPRENTICE SCHOOL 3

Apprentice       000 002 1 - 3 8 3

Columbia U.     110 220 x - 6 7 1

WP: Stack; LP: Dehoux.  Standouts: Apprentice, Drewry 2-4 (RBI, run), Dehoux 2-3 (run, 2-run home run in sixth); CUC, Sepulveda 2-2; Arvanites 1-2 (2RBIs).