Columbia Union defeats Briarcliffe 9-2

HAMPTON, VA. - Bill Arpei was 3-for-4 and Hector Sepulveda drove in a pair of runs as third-seeded Columbia Union College defeated second-seeded Briarcliffe College 9-2 in the 2008 USCAA Baseball National Championships.

Columbia Union (28-23) now advances to the 6:30 pm winners bracket final on Wednesday night against an opponent to be determined.  Briarcliffe now plays in a 4 pm elimination game on Wednesday.

After Briarcliffe scored a run in the first, the Pioneers broke the game open scoring five runs in the second inning behind RBI singles from Brandon Fleig, Jason Torgerson, Sepulveda.  They added a pair more in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Sepulveda and a run scoring on a throwing error.

Tom Rogers picked up the win for Columbia Union throwing five innings allowing eight hits and striking out four.  Jedidiah Jacobson pitched the last two innings allowing two hits and one unearned run.

Briarcliffe was paced by Dan Rodriguez, Dan O'Brien and Scott Rader with a pair of hits apiece.

COLUMBIA UNION 9, BRIARCLIFFE 2

Columbia Union                051 200 1 - 9 10 3

Briarcliffe             100 001 0 - 2 10 4

WP: Rogers; LP: Raschen.  Standouts: CUC, Arpei 3-4, Fleig 2-3 (2 runs, RBI); Sepulveda 1-2 (2RBIs); Briarcliffe, Rodriguez 2-3, O'Brien 2-3 (double), Rader 2-3.