FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2014
Southern New Hampshire, New Haven, Stonehill, Adelphi advance
to Northeast-10 Baseball Championship Weekend in Manchester, N.H.
Southern New Hampshire University, the top seed from the Northeast Division, is set to host the 2014 Northeast-10 Conference Baseball Championship Weekend Friday-Sunday, May 9-11 at Penmen Field in Manchester, N.H. All games from the four-team, double-elimination portion of the championship will be broadcast online at no cost at northeast10.tv.
The Penmen defeated fourth-seeded Bentley University, 9-1, on Wednesday afternoon in first-round action to move forward and earn the right to host. They will be joined by second-seeded University of New Haven, third-seeded Stonehill College and fourth-seeded Adelphi University.
Stonehill defeated Northeast Division No. 2 seed Franklin Pierce University, 11-4, on Wednesday to advance, while Adelphi went on the road and knocked off Southwest Division top seed Southern Connecticut State University, 10-4, in the midweek do-or-die round.
Stonehill and Adelphi will get things underway Friday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. in Manchester to kick off Championship Weekend.
New Haven topped third-seeded Le Moyne College, 1-0, on Wednesday to move on, as the Chargers will take on host So. New Hampshire Friday at 4:00 p.m.
Saturday's contests are scheduled for 10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., while Sunday's title game is slated for 11:00 a.m., with the if-necessary game to follow.
#4 SW ADELPHI 10, #1 SW SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 4
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Owls (24-15-1) saw their season come to an end on Wednesday, as Adelphi (22-21) pounded out 16 hits and struck for four in the first inning before adding five in the seventh after So. Connecticut had cut its deficit to 5-4 in the sixth.
So. Connecticut starting pitcher Rocco Cundari, who earlier Wednesday was named the 2014 Northeast-10 Pitcher of the Year, allowed eight runs - seven earned - over 6.1 innings to take the loss for the Northeast-10 Southwest Division champs. The righty, who allowed 11 hits and struck out three, entered Wednesday's start having allowed two earned or less in each of his nine starts on the year.
The Panthers had five register multihit games, led by catcher Kevin Hutzel (4-for-5, three runs), leadoff man Cliff Brantley (3-for-5) and rookie outfielder Eric Hassell (3-for-5, two RBI).
Adelphi starter Jonathon Mulford allowed four runs - three earned - on eight hits with six strikeouts and no walks over 7.2 innings to earn the victory.
#2 SW NEW HAVEN 1, #3 SW LE MOYNE 0
WEST HAVEN, Conn. - In a two-hour game that saw just five combined hits, New Haven rightfielder Eddie Tammaro scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the eighth in what proved to be the game-winner on Wednesday at Frank Vieira Field.
New Haven starting pitcher Joey Royer allowed no runs on three hits over seven innings before Frank Vilacha came on in relief to earn the win for the Chargers, who had just two hits offensively against Le Moyne.
In seven innings of work, Dolphins starting pitcher Ryan O'Kane allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out six Chargers before giving way to Ryan Davis, who took the loss after the game-changing passed ball with two outs in the eighth.
#1 NE SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE 9, #4 NE BENTLEY 1
MANCHESTER, N.H. - The Penmen touched Bentley starting pitcher Ryan O'Connor for six runs - four earned - on five hits in just 2.1 innings Wednesday, as they scored four times in the second and twice more in both the third and the fourth to put away the Falcons early.
Meanwhile So. New Hampshire right-hander Derrick Sylvester went the distance against Bentley, striking out 15 while allowing just one run on three hits and two walks in a dominant complete-game effort to lower his season ERA to 2.62.
So. New Hampshire leadoff man Brendan O'Brien and first baseman Alejandro Diaz had three hits apiece in the win, while designated hitter Bryan Toland drove in three, including two on a triple in the second.
#3 NE STONEHILL 11, #2 NE FRANKLIN PIERCE 4
RINDGE, N.H. - Stonehill starting pitcher Jim Duff allowed just two earned runs on eight hits in a complete-game effort against the region's top team on Wednesday, and shortstop Dan Fratus hit a grand slam in the third to propel the Skyhawks into Championship Weekend.
Meanwhile, Franklin Pierce starter Conor Gleason struck out 11 over over six innings of work, but he also allowed walked six and was touched for five earned to take the loss. As a staff, the Ravens walked nine and also hit three batters.
Fratus finished went 1-for-4 and drove in four and also scored twice in the win, while Stonehill designated hitter Eric Schneider went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.
Franklin Pierce catcher Matt Walsh led the way offensively with a 3-for-4 performance with three runs scored for the Ravens, who are still expected to receive an NCAA East Regional at-large bid despite missing out on the conference's Championship Weekend.
The Northeast-10 Conference is an association of 15 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,000 student-athletes. Each year, 4,000 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
FIRST ROUND – Wednesday, May 7 (at higher seeds)
Game 1: #4 SW Adelphi 10, #1 SW Southern Connecticut 4 | BOX
Game 2: #2 SW New Haven 1, #3 SW Le Moyne 0 | BOX
Game 3: #1 NE Southern New Hampshire 9, #4 NE Bentley 1 | BOX
Game 4: #3 NE Stonehill 11, #2 NE Franklin Pierce 4 | BOX
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND - Friday-Sunday, May 9-11
Hosted by Southern New Hampshire, Penmen Field, Manchester, N.H.
Friday, May 9
Game 5: #4 SW Adelphi vs. #3 NE Stonehill – 12:00 p.m.
Game 6: #2 SW New Haven vs. #1 NE Southern New Hampshire – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 10
Game 7: Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser – 10:00 a.m.
Game 8: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner – 2:00 p.m.
Game 9: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 loser – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 11
Game 10: Game 9 winner vs. Game 8 winner – 11:00 a.m.
Game 11: If Necessary (30 minutes after conclusion of Game 10)
– #NE10 –
