Thunderducks Fall to Wood Ducks in World Series

AUBURN, N.Y. – Dallas College Richland's baseball team fell to Century College 8-1 Sunday night at the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III World Series.

The Thunderducks (36-23) will play Brookdale Community College (41-10) in an elimination game 2:15 p.m. CT Monday. Century (45-9) moves on to play Rowan College South Jersey - Gloucester (52-10) in the semifinals.

Richland cut into Century's three-run lead in the bottom of the third inning when Trey Smith singled to right to score Bobby Gutierrez. Smith stole second, and advanced to third on an error, but was stranded at the corner.

The Wood Ducks scored four more runs in their next at-bat, and picked up another in the fifth to make it 8-1.

Richland had four hits. Century finished with eight. Jhosnel Ruiz, Jordan Owns and Gutierrez each had one hit for the Thunderducks. Hunter Guenther was 2 for 3 with an RBI for the Wood Ducks. Connor Larsen went 1 for 4 with two RBI.

Guenther (8-0) went eight innings, allowing four hits, a run and two walks, while striking out 11 in the win. Richland reliever Lucas Shipman gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits and two walks, while fanning seven over the final 5 2/3 innings.

The Thunderducks had runners on second and third in the first inning after Owns doubled down the right field line, but they could not capitalize. Richland left five runners on base. Century stranded seven.

The two teams combined to strike out 26 batters.