The Denison baseball team started its NCAA DIII Championship Series with a wild win over Rowan University Friday in Eastlake, Ohio. The Big Red took a 12-5 lead to the seventh inning only to hold on for a 12-10 win over the Profs. Denison knocked out 19 hits and gave up 10, along with seven walks. The teams combined for six errors.

Erik Sundgren, Jake Blozy, Jack Rollo, and Cade Nowick each had three hits on the evening, with Rollo connecting for Denison’s only long ball of the contest. Rowan managed to put two runs on the board in the seventh and got to within two runs, plating three in the ninth. 

Denison’s Will Rettig (6-1) picked up the win in relief going five innings and allowing just two earned runs. In addition to having a great day at the plate, Jack Rollo got the final out of the game to nail down his third save of the season.

The Big Red will now play University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Sunday at 1:15 p.m. The Warhawks beat Trinity (Texas) 7-3 in a game that was suspended Friday night and completed on Saturday.

The winner of Denison’s bracket, as determined in double-elimination play, will take on the winner of the other bracket in a best-of-three series on Wednesday and Thursday. Bracket play ends on Monday.