Montclair, N.J. — Whitworth University found itself in familiar territory on Friday—digging out of an early hole. But this time, the Pirates' rally came up just short, thanks to a freshman who played like a seasoned veteran.
Danny O'Brien, Montclair State's third baseman, had a day for the ages. He went 5-for-5 with six RBIs, capping his performance with a clutch three-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning. That hit sealed a 10-5 win for the second-seeded Red Hawks over third-seeded Whitworth in the NCAA Division III Regional opener at Yogi Berra Stadium.
The Pirates (28-15) showed plenty of fight, climbing back from a 6-2 deficit in the fifth inning to pull within one run in the seventh. Senior second baseman Austin Paul drove in a run with a double, and a sacrifice fly cut the lead to 7-6. But Montclair State answered in the bottom of the seventh with a run of its own, and then O'Brien broke the game open in the eighth. With two outs and the bases loaded, he laced a double to clear the bases and put the game out of reach.
Whitworth now faces a must-win game Saturday morning at 8 a.m. Pacific against fourth-seeded Husson University (24-17) from Maine. If the Pirates win, they'll play later that day against the loser of the matchup between top-seeded Endicott College (36-9) and Montclair State (31-9). Endicott opened the regional with a dominant 17-0 win over Husson.
O'Brien set the tone early, driving in two runs with a single in the first inning. Paul answered with a two-run single of his own in the second, but O'Brien struck again in the fifth with another RBI single during a six-hit, four-run inning that gave Montclair State a 6-2 lead.
The Red Hawks outhit the Pirates 15-8 and issued just one walk. Paul led Whitworth with three RBIs, while designated hitter Yash Gupta added two hits. But the Pirates' star outfielder Kyle Memarian, the Northwest Conference Player of the Year, went hitless for the first time since April 12—a rare off day at the worst possible time.
Whitworth starter Nathaniel Kurano (7-4) took the loss, allowing six runs on 10 hits over his outing. Montclair State's Colin Dowlen (8-2) earned the win, surrendering five runs (four earned) on six hits with three strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. The Pirates' bullpen couldn't hold the line, as standout reliever Seth Mahler allowed four straight batters to reach with two outs in the eighth, setting the stage for O'Brien's game-breaking double.
For Whitworth, the road gets no easier. But in a win-or-go-home game, the Pirates will need to channel that same rally spirit from Friday—and hope to avoid another freshman phenom stealing the show.