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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - There will be a new NCAA Division III baseball champion in 2011 as Illinois Wesleyan lost a 7-6 decision to Buena Vista on Friday, May 20, at Horenberger Field.

The Titans' season ends with a 28-18 record and continues a long stretch of non-repeaters - there has not been a back-to-back champion in Division III since Rowan in 1978 and 1979.

Buena Vista (31-15) will now play Carthage (31-11) at 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 21 in the first championship game and, if Carthage wins, there would be a second game immediately following.

Illinois Wesleyan scored a run in the second to take a 1-0 lead when freshman designated hitter Bobby Czarnowski led off with a walk and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore catcher A.J. Nathan. After freshman Jon Frericks grounded out to the right side to send Czarnowski to third, sophomore second baseman Anthony Lopez had an infield single to score Czarnowski.

The Titans made it 2-0 in the third in a similar fashion when senior centerfielder Ryan Hopp walked after a 12-pitch at bat, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore shortstop Zach Scott, and scored on a single to right by sophomore first baseman Kevin Callahan.

The Beavers took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fourth when Michael Hoffman led off with a single and scored on a double by Kevin Kloever. After Ryan Scheetz bunted the runner to third, Joe Paletta delivered an RBI single to center. Andy Compton singled to put runners at first and second and Dylan Colo forced Paletta with a grounder to third. A throwing error by senior Jeff Grodecki put runners at second and third, who were driven home with a single to center by Tyler Case.

Buena Vista went ahead 6-2 as it added two runs in the sixth when, with one out, Colo singled through the infield, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a Brad Blum single. Blum advanced to second on the throw home and scored on a Brock Yossi single to left centerfield.

IWU tied the game with four runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it 6-6 when they got a single from Frericks off Kyle Dupic with the bases loaded and a double from pinch hitter Kevin Sullivan to drive in Nathan and Czarnowski, who were walked by Dupic. A sacrifice fly by Grodecki drove in Frericks, who had singled ahead of Sullivan's double.

The Beavers scored after two out and no one on in the ninth. Kevin Kloewer walked and went to third on a Scheetz single. Paletta then delivered a base hit that barely snuck into rightfield to score Kloewer with the go-ahead run.

Buena Vista starter Reggie Kock went 7 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on five hits and five walks.

In the ninth inning, Beavers righthanded reliever James Stone (4-3) got Scott on a ground out and struck out Callahan before walking junior leftfielder Mark McDermott before getting Czarnowski on a ground ball to second base.

The Illinois Wesleyan losing pitcher was Anthony Kopp (2-3), who pitched 3 1/3 innings and struck out three while allowing three hits and walking two.