The 2002 season was one of the most successful in the storied history of the Eastern Connecticut State University Baseball Team, which posted an overall record of 39-11-1 on its way to winning the 2002 NCAA Division III National Championship, which was the fourth in program history.
The Warriors won the Little East Conference (LEC) regular season title with a 12-2 league record, but was swept out of the conference tournament as the No. 1 Seed. That did not stop Eastern from qualifying for the NCAA tournament, as it received an at-large selection that allowed its season to continue.
The Warriors took advantage of their second-chance, first by winning the NCAA New England Regional Championship. Eastern opened the tournament with victories over Suffolk (9-1) and Tufts (5-2) before dropping a 7-4 decision to Wheaton (Mass.) in the winner’s bracket final. The Warriors rebounded with a 19-2 rout of Tufts to advance to the regional final, where they avenged their earlier loss to the Lyons, winning a 3-2 10-inning decision to force the if-necessary game, which saw them post a 4-2 victory.
Eastern opened the 2002 NCAA Division III College World Series with three consecutive wins, defeating Concordia-Texas (5-4), RPI (10-9) and Marietta (4-2) before dropping a 6-5 decision to Christopher Newport in the double-elimination tournament. The Warriors once again bounced back in a big way, shutting out Marietta 8-0 to win the national title.
Against Concordia, Eastern scored three times with two out in the eighth to force extra innings, and won the game in the tenth as John Hedde scored from third on Morgan Thompson’s infield single to third with one out and the bases loaded. The Warriors trailed RPI by two runs in the bottom of the ninth but scored three times when all five batters reached safely, with senior co-captain Inaki Ormaechea, batting eighth, ending the game with a two-run single. Senior Joey Serfass shut out Marietta in the final with a complete-game five-hitter (two of the hits never leaving the infield) and was backed by a 14-hit attack that included four hits and three RBI by Justin Waz.
The 2002 season saw first baseman John Kubachka named the LEC Player of the Year. He was joined on the All-LEC Team by outfielders John Hedde and Dwight Wildman, Serfass, relief pitcher Tom Spirito and shortstop Eugene Julien. Kubachka went on to be named a Second Team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), while Hedde and Serfass garnered All-Region honors.
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