Alton, IL - Friday's game in Alton was a historic one for Polars baseball, it was their first NCAA Tournament game in school history. Crown faced the #5 team in the nation, the Webster Gorloks. The regional is being played at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Alton, IL, about forty minutes north of St. Louis. Lloyd Hopkins Field is home to the Alton River Dragons who are a collegiate summer ball team that play in the Prospect League.

Webster got things started in the bottom of the first inning, a single up the middle and then the throw into third base got away, allowing the run to cross. The next batter then launched a two run shot to left center to give the Gorloks an early 3-0 lead. They then extended that lead in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single to right field to make it a 4-0 game early on.

Crown would get on the board in the the fifth after struggling offensively through the first four innings. Jack Becker singled to right, Alejandro Molina reached first on a throwing error, and Rhys Dewick walked to load the bases with nobody out. Aaron Clogston then executed a perfect bunt to drive in Crown's first run of the game.

The Polar offense came alive in the sixth, displaying their power they've shown all year long. Kyle Schroedle started the fun with a no doubt, two run shot to left to cut the lead to 4-3. Rhys Dewick would follow that up with another two run blast to give Crown the lead 5-4 in the sixth.

Crown would hold the lead until the bottom of the seventh when Webster would respond. The Gorloks scored five times in the bottom of the frame to take a 9-5 lead into the late innings.

The Polars didn't go down quietly though, responding for two more runs of their own in the top of the eighth, they scored on a Jack Becker RBI single to left and then Kyle Schroedle scored an additional run on a ground ball double play. Unfortantely for Crown, that was as close as they would get on the afternoon, they threatened in the ninth but Sarto was thrown out at home on a single up the middle from Schroedle to end the game.

On the mound, Tyler VanCise did a great job settling in after a rocky first inning, he ended up getting charged with seven earned runs on the day but the sophomore really battled and gave Crown a chance to win late, throwing five scoreless innings between the second and sixth innings.

Crown will now have to fight their way through the losers bracket, starting with tomorrow's game against the loser of the Bethel vs Wooster game.