WATERLOO – For the second straight time, NIACC’s Tony Grabowske topped Southwestern at the NJCAA Region XI baseball tournament.
Last season, Grabowske gained the win in the Trojans’ 7-0 win over Southwestern in the regional title game.
On Thursday, the sophomore right-hander pitched seven strong innings to left the No. 7 Trojans to a 5-2 win over Southwestern in the opening round of the regional tournament at Riverfront Stadium.
Grabowske (7-3) allowed two hits, two runs (1 earned) with 11 strikeouts and two walks before turning the game over to the bullpen. Dusty Harrill pitched a scoreless eighth and Danny Beizer struck out the side in the ninth as the Trojans advanced to Friday’s second round contest against Ellsworth.
“Tony was in complete control,” said NIACC coach Travis Hergert, who improved to 14-4 at the regional baseball tournament. “Even in the sixth inning when they got two and it was getting a little shaky, he kept us in it. He got a big out there with the tying run on second. He was really good all night long.”
Harrill, who is NIACC’s No. 4 starter, allowed a hit in the eighth inning but Southwestern did not threaten to score. And Beizer was untouchable in the ninth inning as he became the school’s single-season saves leader with 10.
“That’s the epitome of slamming the door – both those guys,” Hergert said.
“That’s a big hold for Harrill. He hadn’t been in that situation in a long time and he’s been a big arm for us down the stretch. And that’s as dominant of a save as Danny has had.”
Cilinging to a 3-2 lead heading to the bottom of the eighth inning, NIACC, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, pushed across two runs in its half of the eighth inning to give Beizer a three-run cushion going into the game’s final frame.
“Gigantic,” Hergert said of the two insurance runs in the eighth inning. “It gives you a little cushion.
“It allowed Danny to go out there and have a no non-sense inning without much stress and he locked it down.”
NIACC staked Grabowske to a 3-0 lead after the first two innings – scoring a single run in the first inning and plating two runs in the second inning.
Southwestern starter John Bisignano pitched seven-plus innings before leaving with no one out in the eighth inning. Bisignano allowed four runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
“He’s a good pitcher,” Hergert said. “He keeps you off-balance.
“He flips up the off-speed and throws it for strikes. I tip my cap to him. He kept us in-check.”
The Trojans received RBIs Thursday from Troy Bullingham, Brandon Michie, Jonathan Cruz and Connor Enochs.
Bullingham has 123 career RBIs, which ranks 1st in school history. He entered Thursday’s game tied with teammate Robbie Glendinning, who ranks second with 122 career RBIs.
Next up for NIACC is a 7 p.m. Friday date with Ellsworth (13-44) in the second round. The sixth-seeded Panthers upset No. 3 seed Kirkwood 3-1 in their tourney opener on Thursday.
NIACC (42-13) took three out of four games from Ellsworth in the final weekend of the regular season.
“They are dangerous,” Hergert said of the Panthers. “We have to come ready to go. They will be ready, too.
“We, obviously, are pretty familiar with them. We have our hands full.”
NIACC notes: Since the 2013 season, the Trojans have a post-season record of 22-9 … Hergert is 18-3 all-time vs. Southwestern … Hergert has a career record of 147-78 … It is the fifth straight season that the Trojans have won their regional tournament opener … The last time the Trojans lost their first game at the regional tournament was in 2011 when Kirkwood topped NIACC 4-3 … Hergert is 12-6 all-time vs. Ellsworth.
– By Kirk Hardcastle, NIACC sports information director
NIACC 5, Southwestern 2
Southwestern 000 002 000 – 2 3 0
NIACC 120 000 02x – 5 10 2
John Bisignano (5K, 1BB), Rauvardo Torres (8) (0K, 0BB), Jashua Moreno (8) (0K, 0BB) and Jake Duren. Tony Grabowske (11K, 2BB), Dusty Harrill (8) (0K, 0BB), Danny Beizer (9) (3K, 0BB) and Blake Whitecotton. W – Grabowske (7-3). L – Bisignano. S – Beizer (10). 3B – Spencer Halloran (N). Multiple hits – Angel Morales (SW) 2, Halloran 2, Troy Bullingham (N) 2, Connor Enochs (N) 2.
NJCAA Region XI baseball tournament
(At Waterloo Bucks Stadium, Waterloo)
Thursday’s results
DMACC 10, Iowa Central 6
Southeastern 8, Iowa Lakes 7
Ellsworth 3, Kirkwood 1
NIACC 5, Southwestern 2
Friday’s games
10 a.m. – Iowa Central vs. Iowa Lakes
1 p.m. – Kirkwood vs. Southwestern
4 p.m. – DMACC vs. Southeastern
7 p.m. – Ellsworth vs. NIACC
