After a year hiatus, the NCCAA Division II East Region Baseball Banner is back in Lancaster. 

Lancaster Bible College is heading back to Mason, Ohio for the NCCAA National Tournament after defeating Philadelphia Biblical University, 9-5 in the East Region Final on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the Chargers downed Valley Forge Christian College in the East Region Semi-Finals, 4-3.

In the semi-final against the Patriots, the Chargers looked anything like themselves as they struggled at the plate for most of the game. Valley Forge Christian jumped out to a quick, 2-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a leadoff walk and three straight hits. Both teams' bats went cold after that as Richard Westerlund finally got LBC's first hit in the bottom of the third. 

The Patriots' 2-0 lead stood until the bottom of the fifth when the Chargers loaded the bases after a Valley Forge Christian error and walk. Westerlund hit an RBI groundout to cut the deficit to one and put runners on second and third. The next batter, NCCAA East Region Player of the Year, Paul Greco roped a two-out two-RBI single to left and gave the Chargers their first lead at 3-2.

After recording two straight outs to begin the top of the sixth, LBC starter Caleb Mayer ran into some trouble after two straight walks. The Patriots' Ben Goodman tied the game on an RBI single that chased Mayer from the game after 5 2/3. Greco came in and got the final out of the inning, ending the Patriots' threat.

Both teams wasted leadoff hits in their next at-bats as the game headed to the bottom of the seventh with the score tied at 3-3. LBC freshman Mitch Kumher drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch to leadoff the bottom of the seventh. An error by Valley Forge Christian pitcher Josh Strohm put runners at first and third. Jake Moritz came into pitch for the Patriots and LBC leadoff hitter dropped down a suicide squeeze bunt that Moritz could not field and Kumher scored from third, giving the Chargers the win and a berth in the East Region Final. 

"This game shows why I think this is one of the gutsiest teams I have ever played on," Chargers' senior Drew Tilley said. "We don't have a whole lot going on at the plate, but still battle and earn a win."

LBC Head Coach Doug Yager echoed Tilley's statements.

"It shows that our offense can beat a team several ways," Yager said. "We can play small ball and bunt and advance runners, but we also have the boppers who can hit the ball. I think that makes us dangerous."

The Chargers managed just three hits against the Patriots, but it was the "boppers" who came to play in the East Region Final.

LBC wasted little time getting their first hit of the game against PBU. After Westerlund drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first, Greco blasted a double and advanced Westerlund to third. The hit was the 48th of the season for Greco and his 22nd straight game with a hit, furthering his program-record. Frank DiFilippo drove in Westerlund with a sacrifice fly to right field to make it, 1-0 LBC.

The score remained that way until the bottom of the third Jake Ritchey and Westerlund led the inning off with back-to-back hits. An error by PBU put runners on first and second and let Ritchey score the game's second run. A second straight error led to a bases loaded single by Kody Godsey that made it, 3-0. After Mayer struck out, Tim Landis, Jr. singled home Greco. LBC would score once more to lead, 5-0 after three innings of play. 

PBU began to chip away at the lead in their half of the fourth as they led the inning off with three hits and a walk. Another hit later in the inning cut the deficit to two at 4-2 as the game moved to the bottom half of the fourth. For the second straight inning, Ritchey and Westerlund led off with singles for LBC. (And again, Westerlund bunted down the first base line for his single.)

"Bopper" DiFilippo came to the plate with one out and crushed a three-run home run over the left field wall that extended the Chargers' lead to 8-2. The home run was DiFilippo's 10th of the season and broke the school-record for home runs in a season. 

Both teams continued to hit as the game moved to the top of the seventh with the Chargers leading, 9-4 and needing just three outs for the title. The Crimson Eagles, the defending East Region Champions, would not relinquish the title without a fight as they scored a run, loaded the bases and chased LBC starter Micah McClay in the process.

McClay went 6 1/3 for LBC, scattering 10 hits and allowing just four earned runs.

With one out, Kumher struck out PBU's Eric Hodges for the second out and needed to get PBU's Dean Diernbach to secure the title for LBC. A fly ball to center looked to seal the deal, but the wind made Landis go back further than he anticipated and he wound up making a diving catch deep in center field to clinch the title for LBC. (Writer's Note: All Landis could do is smirk and shake his head after the game and acknowledge that, that was not the way he drew up catching the game-winner.)

"I just try to throw strikes and hit my spots the best I can," Game 2 Starter Micah McClay said. "The defense played so well behind me and Tilley called a great game behind the plate. My teammates did much more than I did."

Yager, who now has three East Region titles in three seasons, talked about how much the team has matured this season.

"We had guys earlier in the year who couldn't sniff the ball at the plate," Yager said. "Now, a Jake Ritchey is 3-for-4 in the Final and Mitch Kumher gets the save and Mayer pitches a great semi-final game."

Tilley, who was a part of East Region champion teams his freshman and sophomore season, as well as a part of last year's disappointing team that lost in the East Region Semi-Final, said this year's team was not going to go out like last season.

"I think all of the returners decided very early on that we needed to work hard and get in the younger guys' heads that last season's results were unacceptable and we couldn't take anything for granted," Tilley said. 

In addition to Ritchey's 3-for-4 day, Westerlund, Landis and Greco each had two hits in the East Region Final. McClay earned his second win of the season, while Kumher got his first collegiate save. 

LBC (11-21) will head to Mason, Ohio for the NCCAA National Tournament in 10 days or so. The Tournament begins on May 9 and will conclude May 12. Prior to heading to the Buckeye state, LBC will host Mount Aloysius on Monday, April 30. LBC will honor its seniors, Spencer Collier, Tilley and Greco prior the doubleheader.

Notes:
Greco's 49 hits this season tie him for third all-time with Caleb Erb who had 49 in 2010...Yager guided the Chargers to the 2009 and 2010 titles before taking a year off in 2011 with health concerns...Tilley and Collier join LBC alums Lou Curcio, Steve Jacques and Ben Markey as those who have been a part of three East Region Title winning teams...For just the second time in school history, three players have at least 40 hits (2010 was the other season)...Prior to the season, LBC Hitting Coach T.J. Horn said he thought the team could hit 30 home runs this season, they currently stand at 28 with at least four games remaining this season...DiFilippo's 10 home runs break the old record of nine set by Horn...PBU defeated Baptist Bible, 5-4 in the other semi-final on Wednesday to advance to face the Chargers.