They were able to accomplish this in front an amazing crowd at the historic field in Grand Junction, Colorado. During the week, it is estimated that 120,000 people attend the Junior College World Series. Sophomore pitcher, Erik Swanson can attest to this: "This was by far my coolest baseball experience, having the chance to play for a national championship in such an awesome environment with the greatest group of guys".
They were led by the overall tournament MVP, Alex Krupa, who had 4 hits and drove in 4 RBI's in the final game against Miami Dade. Alex, along with 4 more of his teammates, were elected to the all-tournament team.
This dominating performance even surprised Freshman outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams: "It was an unbelievable feeling going through everything in the fall and spring not knowing at all it was going to result in a national championship! It was different being this close with this many guys and we made the best memories you could ever imagine. Making this dream a reality is the best dream to ever come true to me in a while".
The NJCAA D1 Baseball Championship was an incredible way for the Reivers to finish their 15th appearance in the tournament. It capped off another excellent season where the Reivers finished with an overall record of 56-11.
Sophomore infielder Jason McMurry hinted at why they had such success: "Together is what we break the huddle out on every practice, game, and meeting. That is how we won the NJCAA title. If you look at the box scores or re watch the games, it is clear to see that there was not one weak spot in the batting order, not one bad outing on the mound, and not one point in that tournament that we weren't in control after we fought to win game one. Our sophomores and coaching staff instilled a sense of togetherness in this team from day one and we truly became brothers".
Head Coach Marc Rardin and the rest of his staff have created a system that works and it will be fun to see if they can continue their dominance next year.
