College baseball: Indians win thriller, face Tampa on Wednesday night
Published 12:08 am Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Staff report
CARY – Catawba beat Point Loma 10-9 late Tuesday night to stay alive in the Division II World Series in Cary.
It was a wild one.
Catawba (49-13) overcame a 5-0 deficit early and a 9-8 deficit late.
A bouncing single up the middle by Hunter Atkins scored Brandon Crabtree from third base with the winning run. Atkins was the key hitter for the Indians all night as he went 5-for-5 with five RBIs.
Other than Atkins, the biggest hero was Joe Burleyson. With the season on the line and the game heading in the wrong direction, the desperate Indians called on their All-America closer with two outs in the top of the fourth. Burleyson would throw 95 pitches to his cousin, Cameron Burleyson, who was working behind the plate. He got 15 outs. Joe was great until he finally ran out of gas in the ninth. He gave up three runs with two outs in the ninth, but he’s the guy who gave the Indians a chance to win the game.
Catawba starting pitcher Casey Gouge started strong, but was knocked out in the fourth. Seth Sharpe relieved, got an out but walked a couple, and the Indians called on Joe Burleyson.
Catawba scored seven runs in the fifth to turn things around. Atkins had a two-run homer and a two-run single in that huge inning.
Catawba carried an 8-6 lead to the top of the ninth, but the 27th out proved elusive for a tiring Burleyson. Josiah Rodriguez produced a two-run single to tie the game. Hank Smith smashed a triple to give the Sea Lions a 9-8 lead, and it looked like Burleyson might be the losing pitcher despite a heroic effort.
Point Loma loaded the bases in the ninth, but Smith was stranded at third when Colt Wilkins came in and got a strikeout.
Down a run, Logan Dyer started the bottom of the ninth with a walk, and Parker Styborski ran for him. Crabtree’s opposite-field double scored Styborski, who runs really well, from first to tie the game.
Sam Hunter was next and nearly hit the ball out of the park. His long drive was caught but it did advance Crabtree to third. There was a delay, as Point Loma claimed Crabtree had left second base early. There was discussion, but the play stood. Moments later, Crabtree headed for home on Atkins’ game-winning single. The ball was fielded by the PL second baseman, but he had no chance. It wasn’t close at first.
Third-seeded Catawba is now 9-9 in World Series games and 2-1 in this one. Sixth-seeded Point Loma, which topped the Indians on Saturday, headed back to California with a 50-13 season in the books.
Four teams are left. The Indians will take on second-seeded Tampa at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
Point Loma 003 200 103 – 9
Catawba 000 071 002 – 10
W – Wilkins (12-2).
HR – Atkins (7).