FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2014
Host So. New Hampshire handles Felician, 9-3, Franklin
Pierce facing elimination Friday following 3-0 loss to Dowling
MANCHESTER N.H. – A seven-run first inning led by a two-run home run by senior Al Stanton propelled top-seeded Southern New Hampshire University to a 9-3 win over sixth-seeded Felician College in the opening round of the 2014 NCAA Division II Baseball East Regional Championship Thursday at Penmen Field.
In the second of three contests during Day One regional action, second-seeded Franklin Pierce University was blanked, 3-0, by fifth-seeded Dowling College and starting pitcher Tyler Badamo, who fired a five-hit, complete-game shutout to silence the Ravens.
The Penmen, who have now won eight straight, return to action Friday at 1:00 p.m. when they face the loser of Thursday's nightcap between third-seeded Wilmington (Del.) University and fourth-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas College. Franklin Pierce will now play Felician in an elimination game Friday at 10:00 a.m.
#1 SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE 9, #6 FELICIAN 3 | BOX
Brendan O'Brien led the Penmen with his 3-5 effort at the plate while driving in four runs and also stealing three bases, giving him 50 on the season. Bryan Toland went 2-3 with two runs scored and delivered a two-run double in the first inning, while Manny Cruz, Alejandro Diaz and Tyler Fortanascio all finished with two hits apiece. Joe Petosa led Felician with a 3-4 effort at the plate.
Senior Derrick Sylvester (pictured) upped his record to 9-2 on the season, allowing seven hits and three runs (two earned) while fanning eight and walking two in his seven innings of work. In the process, he became So. New Hampshire's all-time leader in career victories with 20, passing the 19 recorded by Mark Perec from 1996-99.
After Sylvester struck out the side in the top of the first, So. New Hampshire gave him all the run support he would need in the bottom half of the frame. Cruz singled with one away, then Stanton belted his fourth home run of the season down the left field line to give the Penmen an early 2-0 cushion. After a flyout, Mike Mastroberti doubled, followed by a Diaz single to make it 3-0. After Fortanascio reached on an error, Toland doubled to bring in Diaz and Fortanascio. Anthony Aceto reached on an infield single to give the Penmen runners at the corners, before O'Brien singled through the left side in his second at-bat of the frame to make it 7-0.
Felician got a run back in the fourth and two more in the fifth. In the fourth, a Jordan Tackett sac fly to right plated Petosa after Petosa reached on an infield single with one away. In the fifth, a Scott De Jong sac fly scored Gabriel Fellin, while a Petosa single up the middle plated Aaron Brill.
Sam Fuller and Joe McCarthy each tossed 1-2-3 innings of relief to close out the victory.
Information provided by SNHU Athletics Communications.
#5 DOWLING 3, #2 FRANKLIN PIERCE 0 | BOX
A solo home run by Dowling senior first baseman JC Brandmaier in the second and a two-run shot by junior catcher Daniel Parisi in the third on Thursday were enough to put away Franklin Pierce, which won three straight games while facing elimination a year ago en route to the regional title, and will now need five consecutive wins over the next three days to defend its crown.
Junior right-hander Conor Gleason got into trouble in the top of the second, when Dowling plated the only run Badamo would need on the afternoon. Gleason fell behind Brandmaier, 2-0, and was forced to throw the power-hitting first baseman something he could hit leading off the inning. Brandmaier turned on the 2-0 pitch and clubbed a long, solo home run, his third of the season, to straightaway left field to open the scoring.
After the home run, Gleason walked junior center fielder Jonathan Cruz on five pitches and followed it with a four-pitch walk to senior left fielder Rob Veltre to put runners at first and second with nobody out. The walk spelled the end of Gleason's day, as he departed after just one inning and three batters. He allowed one run on two hits, walked three, struck out one and would ultimately suffer the loss (5-3).
Junior right-hander Brendan O'Rourke took over and was able to work out of the jam with some help from his defense. With the runner on second in motion, sophomore designated hitter Michael Rizzitello lofted a fly ball to shallow left field. Sophomore shortstop Justin Brock was able to range back and make the catch. Cruz was left in no man's land on the play and Brock got the ball to second in time to complete the double play. After a two-out single, Dowling ran into an out on the bases to end the threat with no further damage.
O'Rourke surrendered the only runs he allowed over eight strong innings of relief in the top of the third, when Dowling created the 3-0 final. Schuster worked a full count, eventually took a lead-off walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After Going struck out, O'Rourke appeared on the verge of working out of trouble again, but he fell behind Parisi, 3-1. O'Rourke challenged the hitter with a fastball, but Parisi was waiting for it, turned on it and cranked his second home run of the campaign, a two-run shot, down the left-field line.
Otherwise, O'Rourke was mostly spotless the rest of the afternoon. He threw 107 pitches (63 strikes) over eight innings of work, allowed two runs on three hits, walked three and struck out six.
Meanwhile, Badamo mostly worked through the Franklin Pierce lineup without incident, as he fired 114 pitches (84 strikes) on his way to a five-hit shutout. Badamo did not issue a walk, struck out eight and faced just 31 batters on the way to the win (9-3).
Franklin Pierce left four runners in scoring pitching on the afternoon, but managed to get a runner to third just once against Badamo. In the bottom of the second, sophomore first baseman Matt O'Herron turned on a 1-2 pitch with one out and scalded a ball towards third base. Dowling junior third baseman Vinny Orlando was eaten up by the ball on one hop, but had barely had time to react to the smash, which was ruled a double for O'Herron. O'Herron moved to third on a groundout, but was left there as freshman second baseman Kyle Hood bounced out to second to end the inning.
The best chance to get back in the game for the Ravens came in the bottom of the seventh, which was the team's only inning with multiple baserunners on the afternoon. With one out, senior designated hitter Marty Dunlap pulled a single inside the bag at third and moved to second when O'Herron followed with a single through the right side. The rally was short-circuited however, as freshman third baseman Jay Jabs bounced into an inning ending double play. O'Herron would be the final baserunner of the day for Franklin Pierce, which went in order in both the eighth and ninth innings against Badamo.
Information provided by Franklin Pierce Athletics Communications.
