LEWISTON, Idaho — Point Park University baseball has come a long way in the past couple of seasons — and pitcher Derek Peluso has certainly enjoyed the ride.

Peluso, a graduate of Seneca Valley, played a key factor in helping the Pioneers reach the NAIA World Series this spring, picking up the victory in a 12-8 victory over the University of South Carolina-Beaufort in an elimination game Monday.

The Pioneers (53-11), however, fell 8-6 to Rogers State (Okla.) University on Tuesday to close out their historic season.

“We knew we had a good squad after last year, especially the pitching staff,” Peluso said. “At the beginning of the year, we said we’d make the World Series. We wanted to go as far as we did.”

Peluso proved to be a big reason why. As the Pioneers’ No. 1 pitcher, Peluso racked up a 10-1 record with a 2.90 ERA, 74 strikeouts and 23 walks in 77 2/3 innings.

He was named the American Mideast Conference Pitcher of the Year, a conference first-team selection and Point Park Co-MVP. On Wednesday, he was named to the Capital One Academic All-American College Division Second Team.

Peluso carries a 3.6 GPA as an Economics and Finance major.

“With his work ethic and character, along with his academic stability, he’s the complete package,” Point Park head coach Loren Torres said. “Derek’s a versatile player and a good athlete.

“He’s a team captain, the ace of the staff and a key to our success. He gets the job done,” Torres added.

When Peluso arrived at Point Park, he liked the idea of being close to home and being an outfielder as well as a pitcher.

His freshman season, Peluso started 27 of 32 games for the Pioneers (13-33) and batted .280 with 10 RBIs. He also pitched in 12 games, including a pair of starts late in the season.

He became a starting pitcher the following year, which was Torres’ first at the helm. The Pioneers mustered a 13-26 record with Peluso going 2-7 — six starts in 11 appearances — with a 7.44 ERA.

“Derek threw well that year,” Torres said. “We were all learning a new system. It was our first year as a coaching staff. He had the stuff in year two. We were missing some hitters and had some injuries in the bullpen.

“We made our starters go longer. It turned into a long year,” Torres added.

As a junior, things began to click for both Peluso and the Pioneers.

The Pioneers went 38-13, were the AMC regular-season champions, reached the tournament finals and finished the season ranked 23rd in the NAIA.

Torres won AMC Coach of the year and Peluso went 7-1 with a 3.41 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings.

“It was a combination of being comfortable at this level and just developing, getting better each year,” Peluso said. “I worked hard and got better. It showed, thankfully.”

This season, Point Park made the World Series for the 11th time in the program’s history, but the first time in 14 years. The 64 games and 53 wins are program highs, which were previously held by the 1986 team that went 51-8.

“I was one of the few guys who was here for the past four years and saw how the program turned around,” Peluso said. “It’s pretty incredible. We pretty much hit rock bottom and after Coach Torres got here, we did a complete 180.”

Point Park received an at-large bid No. 4 and went on to win the Marion, Ind. bracket, were they went 3-0 to reach the World Series.

Point Park opened the World Series with a 7-3 triumph over the College of Idaho, then a 9-3 loss to No. 2 seed Lee (Tenn.) last Saturday to fall into the loser’s bracket. Peluso pitched in the ensuing elimination game and the win left the Pioneers as one of the final six teams with four in the loser’s bracket trying to stay alive.

Peluso pitched five innings, allowing seven runs and 10 hits with one strikeout and one walk. A nine-run third inning, however, led the Pioneers.

“It was surreal,” Peluso said. “All the fans were there. I didn’t have my best start, but my team did well. It was a great victory.”