2001 NEC Baseball Tournament Game Recaps
Game One
Monmouth 7, St. Francis (NY) 6 (10 innings)
Click Here For Boxscore
Atlantic City, NJ -- Senior Jeff Toth (Beachwood, NJ) bounced a two-out, game-winning single through the rightside to score Ian Magley (Chester, NJ) in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Monmouth University a 7-6 victory over St. Francis College of New York, Friday afternoon, at the Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament. Monmouth improves to 27-22 overall while St. Francis falls to 24-21.
Monmouth plays the winner of game number two between #3 UMBC and #2 Central Connecticut State on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 pm. St. Francis squares off against the loser at 12:30 pm.
Toth was 3-for-6 in the game with two RBI including the game-winner. Brian Gismonde (Cherry Hill, NJ) was 4-for-4 with five RBI for the victors. Mike Kelly (Freehold, NJ), who pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for the Hawks, picked up the victory for Monmouth.
The Terriers collected 11 hits including two each by Jason Iorio (Howard Beach, NY), Anthony Giudice (Brooklyn, NY), Michael Molinini (Staten Island, NY) and Anthony Esposito (Brooklyn, NY). Matt Bailey (Oceanport, NJ) gave up the game-winning hit and took the loss for St. Francis.
After Monmouth loaded the bases in the bottom half of the seventh inning, Gismonde lashed a three-run triple to the right-field corner to put the Hawks ahead 6-4.
However, the Terriers would responded in top of the eighth as they loaded the bases and scored three runs of their own. Monmouth reliever Glen Keeton (Middletown, NY) uncorked a wild pitch to push the score to 6-4. Vinny Caiazza (Brooklyn, NY) followed with fly out to deep centerfield to score a run on a sacrafice fly to push the score to 6-5. Iorio drove home a game-tying run with a sharp single to right centerfield that scored Steven Ianuccilli (Staten Island, NY).
Game Two
UMBC 10, Central Connecticut State 5
Click Here For Boxscore
Atlantic City, NJ -- University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) tallied three runs in the first inning and pulled away in the late innings for a 10-5 victory over Central Connecticut State University on Friday afternoon at the Sandcastle in an opening round game of the Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament. UMBC, the #3 seed in the tourney, improves to 29-17-2 overall while #2 CCSU falls to 29-21.
UMBC jumped out to a quick lead in the first inning, tallying three runs, including a two-run homer by catcher Scott Kosmicky (Baltimore, MD) and a run-scoring single by Greg DeBoy (Linthicum, MD).
Leading 4-3 heading into the top of the seventh inning, UMBC put the game away with four runs. They scored two runs courtesy of an error by CCSU centerfielder Robert Hosgood (Clifton Park, NY) and RBI singles by Jeff Fraley (Pasadena, MD) and Dan Carpenter (Glen Burnie, MD).
Kosmicky was 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI to lead UMBC. Fraley also went 3-for-5 for the victors, while Chad Gerben (Severn, MD) added three hits, two runs and two RBI. Erik Weltmer (New Cumberland, PA) went the distance for the Retrievers, surrendering five earned runs on 15 hits to improve to 11-1 on the season. The 11 wins also established a new single-season Northeast Conference record.
Outfielder Kevin Rival (New Britain, CT) was the hitting star for Central with two solo home runs. He went 2-for-5 on the day with two RBI. Nick Macellaro (Plainville, CT) was 3-for-5 in a losing cause for CCSU. Starting pitcher Jim Clarke (South Dartmouth, MD) allowed eight runs (seven earned) and was tagged with the loss.
UMBC moves on to face #1 seeded Monmouth (4:30 pm) in the winners bracket when play resumes in the double elimination tournament on Saturday. Central Connecticut State meets #4 St. Francis (NY) in an elimination game at 12:30 pm.
Game Three
Central Connecticut State 6, St. Francis (NY) 2
Click Here For Boxscore
Atlantic City, NJ -- Junior Kevin Rival (New Britain, CT) and freshman Tim D’Aquila (Middletown, CT) had four hits apiece, and senior John Mayette (New Britain, CT) pitched six solid innings to lead Central Connecticut to a 6-2 win over St. Francis of New York in the loser’s bracket game of the Northeast Conference baseball tournament on Saturday.
Central Connecticut, 30-21, loaded the bases in the first inning with two outs. Rival singled to left, followed by a single to right by freshman Tim D’Aquila (Middletown, CT). Freshman Rob Hosgood (Clifton Park, NY) then reached on an error by the third baseman, but St. Francis starting pitcher Anthony DeNicola (Freehold, NJ) struck out Nick Macellaro (Plainville, CT) to end the threat.
The Terriers, 25-22, scored in the bottom of the first when Anthony Guidice (Brooklyn, NY) singled, stole second and scored on an RBI double by freshman Michael Molinini (Staten Island, NY).
The Blue Devils added three runs in the top of the third when DeNicola had trouble finding the plate. He walked leadoff batter Jay Landeen (Southington, CT), hit Mayette and walked Rival. He then uncorked a wild pitch that scored Landeen. D’Aquila drove home another with a bloop single to right. Rival came across with the third run when Hosgood grounded into a double play.
After St. Francis tallied an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth, the score remained 3-2 until the seventh inning when Rival doubled to left center with two outs, followed by a walk to D’Aquila. After DeNicola struck out Ned Coffee (Old Lyme, CT), Macellaro singled to left to plate Rival and give CCSU a 4-2 edge.
The Blue Devils tacked on two insurance runs in the ninth. Hosgood reached with a one-out single to right and stole second. D’Aquila drove him in with his fourth hit of the afternoon to give the Blue Devils a 5-2 lead. Hosgood grounded into a fielder’s choice that erased D’Aquila. He went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Macellaro single up the middle to make it 6-2.
Lew Pappariella (Palmyra, PA) relieved Mayette in the seventh inning and retired the first eight batters he faced, striking out three. In the ninth, he gave up a two-out single to Kasey Koslowski (Ozone Park, NY), followed by an infield hit to Molinini. He retired Esposito on a fly to center to end the game.
CCSU plays the loser of the Monmouth-UMBC game tonight at 7:30 p.m. The winner of that contest advances to the championship round on Sunday.
Game Four
UMBC 16, Monmouth 10
Click Here For Boxscore
Atlantic City, NJ -- UMBC jumped out to an 8-0 lead and then held on for a 16-10 victory over #1 seed Monmouth to advance to the championship game of the 2001 NEC Baseball Tournament at the Sandcastle in Atlantic City, New Jersey. UMBC improves to 30-17-2, while Monmouth drops to 27-23.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the first, the #3 seeded Retrievers scored three times in the bottom of the second. An error opened the floodgates for UMBC, as Jared Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ) and Greg Deboy (Linthicum, MD) stroked RBI singles. The Retrievers added four more in the bottom of the third, highlighted by Chad Gerben’s (Severn, MD) two-run double.
Monmouth began its comeback with three runs in the top of the fifth when Jason Law (Linwood, NJ) lashed a two-run double and then scored on a UMBC throwing error. UMBC answered right back in the bottom of the inning, plating four more runs. Deboy provided the big blow with a three run double.
The Hawks trimmed UMBC’s lead to 12-9 in the top of the sixth, smacking back-to-back-to-back homers off Retriever starting pitcher Greg Hopper (Baltimore, MD). Law started the barrage with a three-run blast, followed by solo shots off the bats of Jeff Toth (Beachwood, NJ) and Paul Grasso (Somers Point, NJ).
UMBC would not be denied, pushing four more runs across in the bottom of the sixth to go up 16-9. Scott Kosmicky (Baltimore, MD) homered for the second time in the series, ripping a three-run shot off Monmouth reliever Mike Hoffman (Mineola, NY) for his league-best 17th clout of the season.
Monmouth would manage just one more run off of Hopper, who yielded a solo homer to Matt Clark (Pennsauken, NJ) in the seventh inning.
Deboy went 2-5 with five RBI to lead the UMBC barrage. Boyd was 3-5 with three RBI, while Gerben was 3-6 with four runs scored and two RBI.
Law, who leads the NEC with 62 RBI, recorded four hits in five at-bats and drove in five runs for Monmouth. Lance Koenig (Brielle, NJ) added four hits. The Hawks tied an NEC Tournament record with four round-trippers in the contest.
Hopper earned an unusual complete-game victory to improve to 7-3. He allowed ten runs (nine earned) on 19 hits. Monmouth’s Enrique Genao (North Bergen, NJ) was charged with the loss and falls to 5-3.
UMBC, which has rapped out 36 in its first two tournament games, shoots for its first NEC championship on Sunday when it faces the winner of the Monmouth-Central Connecticut State elimination game. Game time is set for 12:30 pm.
Game Five
Monmouth 9, Central Connecticut State 5
Click Here For Boxscore
Atlantic City, NJ -- Senior first baseman Jeff Toth (Beachwood, NJ) hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth inning and senior pitcher Mike Benfield (Laurel Springs, NJ) pitched four scoreless innings of relief to give Monmouth a 9-5 win over Central Connecticut State in the Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament at the Sandcastle in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Saturday night. The loss ended the season for CCSU (30-22), while Monmouth advances to face UMBC in the championship round on Sunday at 12:30 pm.
Sophomore Lance Koenig (Brielle, NJ) put Monmouth on the board in the first inning, hitting a long home run over the left field fence. The Blue Devils answered in the bottom of the frame, receiving hits from Jay Landeen (Southington, CT) and John Mayette (New Britain, CT), followed by a sacrifice fly by freshman Tim D’Aquila (Middletown, CT).
The Hawks, now 28-23, came up with three in the top of the fifth inning. Brian Gismonde (Cherry Hill, NJ) singled before CCSU starting pitcher Kevin Rival (New Britain, CT) walked two batters to load the bases. NEC Player of the Year Jason Law (Linwood, NJ) laced a ball into center to score two runs, and Toth added a bloop single to left to score another.
Monmouth starting pitcher Tom Botwin (East Brunswick, NJ) was forced to leave the game because of an arm injury in the fourth inning. Sophomore Glen Keeton (Middletown, NY) came on in relief and kept the Blue Devils at bay through the fifth.
But in the sixth John Mayette (New Britain, CT) led off with a single to center and went to third on a double by Rival. D’Aquila plated Mayette with a single up the middle. Keeton then walked Rob Hosgood (Clifton Park, NY) and gave up an RBI single to sophomore Nick Macellaro (Plainville, CT). Keeton was lifted in favor of Benfield, who yielded a two-run single to sophomore Pat Holden
(Bristol, CT), giving the Blue Devils a 5-4 lead. Benfield retired the next three batters in order to get out of the inning.
Rival settled down for the Blue Devils, striking out nine of the next 11 batters he faced through the eighth, including the side in the sixth and seventh.
In the top of the ninth inning, Gismonde led off with a triple over the right fielder’s head. Rival got pinch hitter Chuck Gookins (Toms River, NJ) to ground out to second, freezing the runner at third, but junior Ian Magley (Chester, NJ) followed with a single to right to knot the game at 5-5. He proceeded to walk Greg Landis (Royersford, PA) with ball four bouncing away from the catcher as Magley raced to third and Landis to second. Rival walked Koenig to load the bases, prompting CCSU coach Charlie Hickey to lift him and bring in sophomore Chris Piryk (Berlin, CT). Piryk got Mike St. Martine (Levittown, PA) to ground out to Mayette at first, who threw home for the force. Toth then hit the first pitch he saw over the center field fence for a grand slam and a 9-5 Monmouth lead.
UMBC needs just one win tomorrow over Monmouth to capture its first-ever NEC championship. Monmouth, which fell to the Retrievers, 16-10, earlier in the day, must sweep two straight from UMBC to claim its third NEC title in four years.
Game Six
Monmouth 5, UMBC 3
Click Here For Boxscore
Atlantic City, NJ -- Monmouth University received clutch performances from workhorse Mike Benfield (Laurel Springs, NJ) and a hobbled Jay Law (Linwood, NJ) to post a 5-3 victory over UMBC and set up a winner-take-all championship game in the double-elimination Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament at the Sandcastle in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The win raised Monmouth’s record to 29-23. UMBC fell to 30-18-2.
Benfield, who pitched seven innings in a start on Friday and four innings of relief to earn a victory on Saturday, came back to pitch 8 2/3 innings and earn the victory. With the win, Benfield (8-0) became Monmouth’s career victory leader with 20 wins, surpassing Dan Severino’s record of 19. Benfield yielded three runs on nine hits and no walks while striking out eight.
UMBC’s Phil Helser (Hagerstown, MD) was saddled with the loss. Helser (5-1) logged a complete-game effort, allowing five runs (three earned) on 10 hits.
Law, playing with a stress fracture in his left ankle, delivered a pair of singles and accounted for three runs batted in. The Northeast Conference Player of the Year went 2-for-3 with a walk.
The Hawks drew first blood in the bottom half of the first inning as Lance Koenig (Brielle, NJ) hit a one-out single to rightfield and moved to second with a stolen base. Law laced a single to rightfield to plate Koenig and later scored on a double by Brian Gismonde (Cherry Hill, NJ). The Hawks added a run in the second as Greg Landis (Royersford, PA) was hit by a pitch and scored on a Koenig double.
After both pitchers mowed down opposing batters for the next three innings, Monmouth added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two outs, Landis hit a single through the left side and Koenig reached base on an error to put runners at first and second. Law hit a single to right centerfield to score both Landis and Koenig and give the Hawks a 5-0 cushion.
UMBC mounted a pair of late-inning rallies to leave the outcome in doubt. Chad Gerben (Severn, MD) singled through the left side to lead off the inning. Jared Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ) followed with a single to put runners at the corners. With one out, Scott Kosmicky (Baltimore, MD) hit a sacrifice fly to deep leftfield to trim the margin to 5-1. In the bottom of the ninth, Jeff Fraley (Pasadena, MD) and Rick Guarno (Rochester, NY) started a one-out rally with back-to-back singles. One out later, Gerben reached on an error to load the bases and put the tying run at the plate. Boyd did not disappoint, delivering a sharp single to centerfield to plate Fraley and Guarno and cut the advantage to 5-3. Mike Kelly (Freehold, NJ) came in to retire the last Retriever with a strikeout to earn his eighth save of the season.
The championship game marks UMBC’s first time playing for the league crown, while the Hawks are shooting for their third title in four years.
Game Seven
UMBC 4, Monmouth 1
Click Here For Boxscore
Atlantic City, NJ -- Tournament Most Valuable Player Eric Weltmer (New Cumblerland, PA) fashioned his second complete-game of the tournament to propel UMBC to a 4-1 victory over Monmouth University in the championship game of the Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament at the Sandcastle in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Sunday afternoon. With the victory, the Retrievers earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. UMBC improved to 31-18-2, while Monmouth fell to 29-24.
Weltmer (12-1), who earlier in the tournament broke the UMBC and NEC single-season record for wins, scattered six hits and and two walks over nine innings. He allowed just one unearned run while fanning eight. For the tournament, Weltmer went 2-0 (two complete-game wins) with a 2.50 earned run average.
UMBC got on the scoreboard first, pushing across a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Chad Gerben (Severn, MD) led off the inning with a single and advanced to second base on a passed ball. After a groundout by Jared Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ) moved Gerben to third, he scored on a sacrifice fly by Scott Kosmicky (Baltimore, MD) to give UMBC the lead.
In the top of the sixth, the Hawks loaded the bases as Jay Law (Linwood, NJ) walked, Jeff Toth (Beachwood, NJ) doubled and Paul Grasso (Somers Point, NJ) walked. Weltmer then fanned Brian Gismonde (Cherry Hill, NJ) to thwart the rally.
The Retrievers put the contest out of reach with three runs in the sixth. With one out, Jeff Fraley (Pasadena, MD) and Rick Guarno (Rochester, NY) laced back-to-back singles. Dan Carpenter (Glen Burnie, MD) hit a single to right field to score Fraley and a throwing error by the Hawks’ rightfielder allowed runners to move to second and third. Gerben was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Monmouth pitcher Enrique Genao (North Bergen, NJ) enduced a fielder’s choice and the Hawks retired Guarno at home, but Greg Deboy (Linthicum, MD) followed with a two-run single to give the Retrievers a 4-0 cushion.
Monmouth scored its only run in the top of the seventh as Greg Landis (Royersford, PA) doubled in Mike Kelly (Freehold, NJ), who led off the inning with a single.
Genao (5-4) was saddled with the loss. He yielded nine hits and four runs (three earned) over eight innings. He walked four and struck out three.
Despite failing to win its third NEC Tournament title in four years, Monmouth tied or eclipsed three tourney records. Toth stroked 12 hits in the tournament to break the record of ten shared by FDU’s David Arroyo (1999) and Mark Zielinski (1999). Law tied Long Island’s Lou Deman (1995) with ten RBI and the Hawks’ 59 hits suprassed FDU’s series record of 52 set in 1999.
UMBC’s last trip to the NCAA Tournament came in 1992, when the Retrievers received an at-large bid to the East Regional. At the time, UMBC was a member of the East Coast Conference. |