Endicott College Baseball Team Drops College World Series Finals Opener

EASTLAKE, Ohio — The Endicott College baseball team opened the Division III College World Series with a 6-0 loss to Denison on Wednesday afternoon, leaving the Gulls one game from elimination heading into Championship Thursday.

The loss sends Endicott into its fifth elimination game this season, including the CNE playoffs, Regionals, Super Regionals and two College World Series games.

Endicott, 43-13, is scheduled to face Denison, 50-2, again in game two at 11 a.m. Thursday. If Endicott prevails, a deciding Game 3 would ensue on Thursday afternoon.

• Endicott Baseball Reaches First NCAA World Series Championships

The matchup marked the first-ever championship series appearance for both programs. It was also the third meeting all-time between the teams, with Denison improving to 3-0 in the series.

Endicott starter Jeremy Krendel of Framingham worked five innings and allowed five earned runs on five hits, with seven walks and one strikeout.

Denison starter Cooper Marrs went seven scoreless innings, allowing four hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.

After top-ranked Denison took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, Krendel settled in, but the Gulls offense struggled to produce a run.

John Fusco became Endicott's first baserunner in the fifth inning with a single to left. In the sixth, James Benestad of Portsmouth added another single.

Facing a 6-0 deficit in the eighth, AJ Hamm of Shrewsbury hit Endicott's first extra-base hit of the day, a leadoff double down the left field line.

After Marrs left the game, the Gulls loaded the bases for TJ Liponis of Scarborough, but Denison got out of the inning without allowing a run.

Endicott had one more chance in the ninth, but Denison retired the side in order to secure the opening win of the series.

Max Jarvie of Wilton gave the Gulls three innings in relief and limited Denison to one earned run.