FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2014
MANCHESTER, N.H. - In Day Two action of the 2014 Northeast-10 Conference Baseball Championship Weekend, hosted by Southern New Hampshire University, fourth-seeded Adelphi University twice staved off elimination by downing second-seeded University of New Haven, 5-2, and third-seeded Stonehill College, 7-2, on Saturday at Penmen Field.
Top seed So. New Hampshire also won on Saturday, holding off Stonehill, 6-5, to remain perfect during Championship Weekend.
As a result, So. New Hampshire needs just one win over Adelphi (11:00 a.m.) on Sunday, while Adelphi needs a pair of wins over the host Penmen in order to claim the Northeast-10 title.
#4 ADELPHI 5, #2 NEW HAVEN 2
Adelphi starting pitcher Matt Abramowitz was stellar Saturday, allowing just two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts over 8.0 innings to do his part in helping eliminate New Haven from Championship Weekend. Closer John Donnelly nailed down the win with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to record his sixth save.
The Panthers also survived with the help of leftfielder Eric Hassell, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while second baseman Vincent Sharkey was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
New Haven starter John Melville allowed five runs - albeit just two earned - in 1.2 innings, before Vincent Aprea spelled him to go 5.1 scoreless innings to keep the Chargers in reach.
Offensively, rightfielder Chris DeMorais was 2-for-3 with an RBI for New Haven, which sees its season come to a close at 23-13.
#1 SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE 6, #3 STONEHILL 5
No. 9 hitter Anthony Aceto hit a two-run homer in the sixth in what proved to be the difference-maker for So. New Hampshire on Saturday, as Stonehill would go on to score twice in the eighth to make it a one-run game before Penmen closer Benjamin Criscuolo threw 2.1 innings for the second straight day to earn his 14th save.
Aceto finished 3-for-3 on the afternoon with the homer, a double, two runs and two RBI to lead the Penmen offensively, while second baseman Mike Mastroberti added two hits. First baseman Alejandro Diaz also launched a solo shot in the third for So. New Hampshire.
Stonehill saw six of its starters register multihit games, led by a 3-for-4 day from catcher Billy Karalis, but the Skyhawks also left 13 men on base.
On the mound, Stonehill starting pitcher Jeremy Roberts took the loss (4.2 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 K, 0 BB), while So. New Hampshire starter Mike Robert was pulled after just two innings of one-run ball.
Penmen reliever Alex Person earned the win in relief despite allowing two earned on five hits in 2.2 innings, while fellow reliever Sam Fuller delivered two scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
#4 ADELPHI 7, #3 STONEHILL 2
Adelphi senior starting pitcher Steven Bove allowed just two runs on nine hits with four strikeouts in a complete-game effort to bounce Stonehill from Northeast-10 Championship Weekend in the third and final game on Saturday, marking the second win of the day for the Panthers, who now need to win twice over the host Penmen on Sunday.
Centerfielder Cliff Brantley (pictured) went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored in the victory, which saw the Panthers make a statement by scoring four times in the top of the first. Third baseman Richard Mejia and designated hitter Robert Vani both went 2-for-4, as Mejia scored twice and Vani knocked in a pair.
Karalis and leftfielder Brian Campbell both had 2-for-4 performances in Stonehill's Game 2, while Skyhawks starting pitcher Charlie DeFrancesco was run after getting touched for six runs (albeit just two earned) on seven hits over three innings. The bullpen did its part, as Mike Krupchak, Steve Pike and Armand Rugel combined for six frames of one-run ball.
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 | RECAP
Game 5: #3 NE Stonehill 3, #4 SW Adelphi 1 | BOX
Game 6: #1 NE Southern New Hampshire 8, #2 SW New Haven 1 | BOX
Saturday, May 10
Game 7: #4 SW Adelphi 5, #2 SW New Haven 2 (New Haven eliminated) | BOX
Game 8: #1 NE Southern New Hampshire 6, #3 NE Stonehill 5 | BOX
Game 9: #4 SW Adelphi 7, #3 NE Stonehill 2 (Stonehill eliminated) | BOX
Sunday, May 11
Game 10: #4 SW Adelphi vs. #1 NE Southern New Hampshire – 11:00 a.m.
Game 11: If Necessary (30 minutes after conclusion of Game 10)
– #NE10 –
