CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | PHOTO GALLERY
Penmen Capture Fourth NE10 Championship in Program History.
When and Where: May 14, 2022 - Worcester, Mass. (Rocheleau Field @ Assumption University)
Game 1: Assumption University 4, #8 Southern New Hampshire 3
Game 2: #8 Southern New Hampshire University 13, Assumption University 4 (Championship Game)
Records: SNHU 41-9, Assumption 25-23
Worcester, Mass. – #8 SNHU baseball claimed the fourth Northeast-10 title in program history, and second consecutive, with a 13-4 win in today's championship game against Assumption in Worcester. The Greyhounds forced a winner-take-all game with a 4-3 win in Saturday's opener. The Penmen improve to 41-9 and head to the NCAA Div. II Baseball Championship
GAME 1: Assumption 4-3
- A terrific pitchers duel developed between SNHU graduate student Taylor Lepard and Assumption's Jack Choate, the NE10 Northeast Division Pitcher of the Year.
- Choate, who tossed a one-hitter in the Greyhound win over Franklin Pierce to start the tournament, threw six no-hit innings on three days rest.
- Lepard, who had shut out Assumption last Saturday at Delta Dental Stadium, worked seven scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts.
- Assumption broke through for four runs in the top of the eighth inning, three scoring on a home run by Christopher Rabias.
- The Penmen scored three times in the bottom of the ninth. Senior Sam Henrie homered, redshirt sophomore Nick Schwartz walked, and senior Dakota Mulcay homered.
- Assumption's Alex Meesig came out of the bullpen to get the final two outs to preserve the win, and force a second game.
GAME 2: SNHU 13-4 (Championship Game)
- The Penmen launched a two-out rally in the bottom of the first inning to take a lead they would not relinquish.
- Henrie and Schwartz singled ahead of Mulcay's second home run of the day to make it 3-0.
- The Greyhound cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the second when catcher Eric Preston homered.
- SNHU extended the lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the third with five different players delivering hits. Schwartz singled, Mulcay singled, redshirt sophomore Cam Caraher doubled. Redshirt junior Alex Kennedy followed with an RBI single, and graduate student Idelson Taveras delivered a run-scoring single.
- Mulcay's fourth RBI of the game came on a single in the fourth, and Taveras hit a two-run homer in the fifth as the Penmen opened a 10-2 lead.
- On the mound, starter Nick Assad, a redshirt sophomore from Franklin, Mass. worked into the fourth inning. The win went to redshirt sophomore Griffin Gilbert who went the final six innings, allowing just two unearned runs. He allowed two hits and struck out 12.
NOTES
- Mercedes, Kennedy, and graduate student Josh Roberge made the all-tournament team. Mercedes was named the MVP after going 8-for-20 in the five NE10 tourney games with 4 RBI. Kennedy went 8-for-16 over four games in the tournament. He had four hits in the finals. Roberge tossed a complete-game shutout over Le Moyne Thursday.
- The Penmen won an NE10 title for the fourth time (2014, 2016, 2021 and 2022). Assumption played in the Championship for the first time since 2009.
- SNHU's pitching staff compiled a team ERA of 1.00 in the five playoff games. Of 14 runs allowed, only five were earned.
- The Penmen are up to 8th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Poll.
- Assumption hosted the NE10 tournament with SNHU's Penmen Field not available. The Greyhounds survived three elimination games in a row, playing as the visitor, before falling in the finale.
-Recap provided by SNHU athletic communications-
ALL-CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
Cristian Mercedes, SNHU*
Alex Kennedy, SNHU
Josh Roberge, SNHU
Jack Choate, Assumption
Shea Ryan, Assumption
Anthony Cipri, Adelphi
Joe Vail, Le Moyne
*Most Outstanding Player
ELITE 24 AWARD
Ty Syta, Le Moyne
NE10 Baseball Championship
Northeast Division
1. Southern New Hampshire (21-3)
2. Franklin Pierce (16-8)
3. Assumption (13-11) *
4. Saint Anselm (13-11) *
* Assumption earned the #3 seed based on a 3-1 series record vs. Saint Anselm during the regular season.
Southwest Division
1. Adelphi (17-6-1)
2. Southern Connecticut (14-8-1)
3. Le Moyne (14-10)
4. Saint Rose (12-12) *
Tuesday, May 10th – First Round (single elimination)
Game 1: #1 SW Adelphi 5, #4 SW Saint Rose 4 (F/11)
Game 2: #3 SW Le Moyne 6, #2 SW Southern Connecticut 0
Game 3: #1 NE SNHU 14, #4 NE Saint Anselm 2 (game will be played at Saint Anselm)
Game 4: #3 NE Assumption 2, #2 NE Franklin Pierce 0
Thursday, May 12th
Game 5: #1 SW Adelphi 9, #3 NE Assumption 3
Game 6: #1 NE SNHU 7, #3 SW Le Moyne 0
Game 7: #3 NE Assumption 4, #3 SW Le Moyne 0
Friday, May 13th
Game 8: #1 NE SNHU 5, #1 SW Adelphi 4
Game 9: #3 NE Assumption 10, #1 SW Adelphi 9
Saturday, May 14th
Game 10: #3 NE Assumption 4, #1 NE SNHU 3
Game 11: #1 NE SNHU 13, #3 NE Assumption 4
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 14 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 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 NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
