CHILLICOTHE, OH -- The Denison Big Red (34-8) captured the 2023 North Coast Athletic Conference baseball tournament title with an 7-2 victory over the Wittenberg Tigers (32-10) in Game 6 on Sunday at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe, Ohio. The NCAC tournament title is the fourth straight crown for Denison.
In addition to the win, Denison joined the 2000 Ohio Wesleyan University baseball team as the only NCAC teams with an undefeated regular season and an undefeated tournament run.
As NCAC tournament champions, Denison has earned the league's automatic bid into the 2023 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship. The NCAA Division III selection show will air live on ncaa.com Monday, May 15 at 12:00 p.m. This year's tournament will begin May 19 with 60 teams playing across 16 regional sites. The Division III Baseball Championship is June 2-8 at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Wittenberg got on the board first in the tourney championship game, after junior centerfielder Luke Thomas (Tallmadge, OH/Tallmadge) singled up the middle of the field, then eventually advanced to third after a hit from shortstop Chase Whisner (Newark, OH/Licking Valley) and then junior first baseman Ian Ash (Bath, OH/Revere) reaching base off a wild pitch. Denison senior righthander Charlie Fleming (Upper Arlington, OH/Upper Arlington) walked senior Matt Moore (Wadsworth, OH/Wadsworth) to score Thomas. The Tigers also scored a run in the fifth inning, but most of the offense came from the Denison bats.
The Big Red had three players knock in two RBI each: sophomore centerfielder Eric Colaco (Richfield, OH/Revere), senior catcher Charlie Glennon (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle), and senior Ari Fierer (Denver, CO/Colorado Academy). Colaco finished the day 2-for-5 with the two RBI, a double and a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning; Glennon was 3-for-5 with the two RBI and a double. Junior first baseman Noah Lieb (Evanston, IL/Evanston Township) contributed a double as he went 2-for-3 for the day.
On the mound, Fleming improved to 10-1 on the season, picking up the win after 6.1 innings of work. He allowed five hits and two runs, while walking two and striking out 8 of the 28 batters he faced. Once again, George Viebrock (Bethel, CT/Bethel) came in to throw two scoreless innings, earning his 6th save of the year. For Wittenberg, senior righty Joe Horoszko (Seven Hills, OH/Saint Edwards) picked up the loss after 3.1 innings pitched, allowing eight hits and three runs; he struck out one batter. Sophomore righthander Charlie Shafer (Beavercreek, OH/Beavercreek) also threw 3.1 innings in the game, allowing three hits and one run.
Denison's Viebrock was named the 2023 NCAC Tournament Most Valuable Player. He was joined on the honor list by four teammates:
2023 NCAC All-Tournament Team
MVP George Viebrock, Denison
Josh Bohn, Denison
Eric Colaco, Denison
Charlie Fleming, Denison
Noah Leib, Denison
Brayden Lentz, Wabash
Grant Mitchell, Wooster
John Panstares, Wooster
Charlie Schafer, Wittenberg
Ben Seibert, Wittenberg
Luke Thomas, Wittenberg
Chase Whisner, Wittenberg