2002 NEC Baseball Tournament Game Recaps
Game One
#1 Monmouth 3, #4 St. Francis (NY) 2
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Lakewood, NJ -- Monmouth University used a ninth-inning rally to win the opening game of the 2002 Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament, 3-2, versus St. Francis (N.Y.) College at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, New Jersey.
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Chuck Gookins (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) got the Monmouth rally started as he drew a pinch-hit hit-by-pitch with one out. Tim Davis (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) singled to rightfield to put runners at first and second base. Matt Bailey (Oceanport, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) relieved Terriers’ starter Anthony Esposito (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) and hit Lance Koenig (Brielle, N.J./Manasquan) with an 0-2 pitch to load the bases. Jay Law (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) tied the score as his groundout to second base off reliever Christian Malave (New York, N.Y./Xavier) plated Gookins. An Evan Clancy (Brick, N.J./Manasquan) walk reloaded the bases and Paul Grasso (Somers Point, N.J./Mainland Regional) won the game as his pop fly was misplayed by Terriers’ shortstop Michael Cannone (Holliswood, N.Y./Holy Cross) allowing Davis to score the winning run.
St. Francis (22-23) drew first blood as Steve Iannuccilli (Staten Island, N.Y./Farrell) blasted an 0-1 pitch over the rightfield fence to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead.
Monmouth (30-19) tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Koenig doubled to left centerfield and moved to third base on a fly ball by Law. Clancy singled through the middle to plate Koenig with the equalizer.
In the top half of the ninth, Vincent Sarrica (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xavieran) started a two-out rally by drawing a walk. Greg Clements (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) pinch ran for Sarrica and stole second base. Cannone singled to rightfield, plating Clements for the go-ahead run.
Jim Carone (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Beach), the NEC Pitcher of the Year, picked up the win for the Hawks. Carone (10-3) pitched a complete game, scattering two runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out four Terriers.
Esposito (4-7) was saddled with the loss for St. Francis. He yielded three runs, two earned, on seven hits and three walks.
With the victory Monmouth advanced through the winners bracket to play the winner of Friday’s second game between Central Connecticut State and UMBC. First pitch is slated for 12:30 p.m. St. Francis will play the CCSU/UMBC loser in a 4 p.m. contest.
Game Two
#3 Central Connecticut State 5, #2 UMBC 3 (10 innings)
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Lakewood, NJ -- Central Connecticut State’s Kevin Rival (New Britain, CT/New Britain) doubled home the winning run with two outs in the tenth to lead the #3 seeded Blue Devils to a 5-3 victory over #2 seed UMBC in a first round game of the 2002 Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, NJ.
With the score tied at 3-3, CCSU’s Tim D’Aquila (Middletown, CT/Middletown) started the rally with a one-out single to centerfield off UMBC reliever Kyle Wildasin (Hanover, PA/Southwestern). After Phil Rothkugel (Plainville, CT/Plainville) grounded out, Rival laced his double to centerfield, scoring D’Aquila. Chip Rourke (Jewett City, CT/Griswold) then added an insurance run, smacking a single to left to score Rival. UMBC managed to get the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the frame, but Rival induced Scott Kosmicky (Baltimore, MD/Archbishop Curley) to ground out to second base to end the game.
UMBC (30-23) struck first when NEC Player of the Year Jared Boyd (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) tripled in Dan Carpenter (Glen Burnie, MD/Old Mill) and scored on a throwing error to stake the Retrievers to a 2-0 lead.
CCSU (32-21) got a run back in the fourth when Rourke drove in Rival with a single to right field, but the score remained 2-1 in favor of UMBC, until the Retrievers scored again in the seventh on Carpenter’s run scoring single.
Trailing 3-1 in the eighth, the Blue Devils pulled even on Rothkugel’s two run blast to dead centerfield.
UMBC had an opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, staging a two-out rally to load the bases with third baseman Brad Glascock (Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright), the NEC’s leading run producer, up at the plate, but Rival set him down with one of his five strikeouts on the afternoon.
Rival (8-4), who replaced starter Jim Clarke (South Dartmouth, MA/Dartmouth) with one out in the eighth inning, tossed 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing three hits.
Wildasin (5-2), who came in for UMBC starter Zach Clark (Newark, DE/Newark) with one down in the eighth inning, was tagged with the loss after permitting two runs on four hits in 2.2 innings.
With the victory CCSU advanced through the winners bracket to play top seeded Monmouth on Saturday at 12:30 pm. St. Francis (NY) takes on UMBC in an elimination game at 4:00 pm. A second elimination game will follow at 7:30 pm.
Game Three
Central Connecticut State 7, Monmouth 5
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Lakewood, NJ -- Central Connecticut State University erased a 5-0 deficit to post a 7-5 victory over Monmouth University at the Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, New Jersey. The victory put CCSU in the championship game on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
Trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Central (33-21) got a game-tying rally started as Ned Coffee (Old Lyme, Conn./St. Bernard) drew a walk. Chip Rourke (Jewett City, Conn./Griswold) put runners on the corners with a single down the rightfield line. Monmouth starter Andrew Palmieri (Freehold, N.J./St. John Vianney) threw a wild pitch allowing Coffee to score and Rourke to move to second base. A single up the middle by Nick Macellaro (Plainville, Conn/Plainville) plated Rourke to trim the lead to 5-2. A double to left centerfield by Patrick Holden (Bristol, Conn./McTernan) and a walk issued to Jay Landeen (Southington, Conn./Southington) loaded the bases. Enrique Genao (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) came in to relieve Palmeiri and recorded the first out as he induced an RBI groundout by Robert Hosgood (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa), trimming the lead to 5-3. With two outs, Genao was unable to escape the jam as he allowed a game-tying, two-run double to rightfield by Phil Rothkugal (Plainville, Conn./Plainville).
Central took the lead in the seventh inning. Coffee led off the inning with a double to rightfield. Rourke advanced to first base as the pitch he swung at to strikeout bounced away from the Monmouth catcher. With runners at the corners, Macellaro doubled to rightfield to plate Coffee and give CCSU a 6-5 lead. A wild pitch allowed Macellaro to score for an insurance run.
Monmouth (30-20) drew first blood in the top of the first inning. Tim Davis (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley) led off the game with a single up the middle. Lance Koenig (Brielle, N.J./Manasquan) drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Jay Law (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) laced an RBI single to rightfield to plate Davis. A wild pitch allowed Koenig to score. Law would later score on a groundout by Mike St. Martine (Levittown, Pa./Truman), giving the Hawks a 3-0 lead.
The Hawks added a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning. Law drew a walk to start the inning. With one out, Paul Grasso (Somers Point, N.J./Mainland Regional) singled to put runners at first and second. A single by St. Martin pushed Law across and Grasso scored on an error by the CCSU second baseman to give Monmouth a 5-0 lead.
Don Crossman (Winsted, Conn./Gilbert) picked up the victory in relief for the Blue Devils. Crossman (4-2) pitched 1.0 inning of scoreless, one-hit relief. Kevin Rival (New Britain, Conn./New Britain) was credited with the save. He fanned three batters in 2.0 innings of hitless ball.
The game was highlighted by missed opportunities as Monmouth stranded 13 runners and CCSU left 11 players on base. The leadoff batter reached in each of the first seven innings for the Hawks, with Monmouth capitalizing in just two of the innings.
Gam e Four
UMBC 1, St. Francis (NY) 0
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Lakewood, NJ -- In a battle of All-Northeast Conference pitchers, UMBC prevailed 1-0 over St. Francis (N.Y.) College in an elimination game of the 2002 NEC Baseball Tournament at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, New Jersey. The Retrievers’ Joe Wilson (Fairfield, Conn./Notre Dame) pitched a complete-game, seven-hit shutout to allow UMBC to advance to Saturday night’s elimination game vs. Monmouth University.
Wilson (9-3), a first-team All-NEC selection, scattered seven hits and four walks, while striking out seven Terriers in earning his second shutout of the season.
The Retrievers scored the game’s lone run in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Greg Deboy (Linthicum, Md./Calvert Hall) laced a single to centerfield to start the rally. After a groundout by Zach Clark (Newark, Del./Newark) resulted in a fielder’s choice retiring Deboy, Dan Carpenter (Glen Burnie, Md./Old Mill) roped a single to rightfield to put runners at the corners. Rick Guarno (Rochester, N.Y./Kearney) drove in the winning run with a single to centerfield, plating Clark.
Matt Bailey (Oceanport, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) was the hard-luck loser for St. Francis. Bailey (9-3) yielded one run on eight hits and one walk, while fanning four Retrievers.
With two hits in the contest, Jared Boyd (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy) became UMBC’s career leader with 235 hits.
The winner of Saturday evening’s contest between UMBC and Monmouth faces Central Connecticut State in the championship game Sunday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. CCSU advanced to the championship game with a 7-5 victory over Monmouth in the day’s first contest.
Game Five
UMBC 8, Monmouth 2
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Lakewood, NJ -- 2002 Northeast Conference Player of the Year shortstop Jared Boyd (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy) and rightfielder Chris Yetter (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake) led UMBC to an 8-2 victory over Monmouth University in an elimination game of the 2002 NEC Baseball Tournament at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, New Jersey.
Boyd went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, one home run, three runs scored and two RBI. Yetter went 4-for-4 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI.
UMBC (32-23) jumped out to an early lead as Boyd led off the first inning with a double and scored on a single to leftfield by Greg Deboy (Linthicum, Md./Calvert). The Retrievers tacked on two more runs in the third inning as Yetter hit an infield single and scored on a two-run dinger to leftfield by Boyd, giving UMBC a 3-0 lead.
The Retrievers piled on three more runs in the fourth inning with an RBI single by Zach Clark (Newark, Del./Newark) and a two-run shot to rightfield by Yetter, staking UMBC to a 6-0 lead.
Monmouth clipped two runs off the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Evan Clancy (Brick, N.J./Manasquan) doubled to rightfield and scored on a Paul Grasso (Somers Point, N.J./Mainlaind Regional) double to rightfield. Mike Kelly (Freehold, N.J./Freehold) plated Grasso with a single, to trim the lead to 6-2.
UMBC closed out the scoring with a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning. Brad Glascock (Bel Air, Md./Wright) hit a two-run single through the left side to plate Boyd and Yetter.
Eric Butkiewicz (Plainville, Conn./Plainville) earned the victory for UMBC. Butkiewicz (7-1) scattered two runs on nine hits and two walks through 7.0 innings, while striking out five Hawks.
Frank Pilitowski (Franklinville, N.J./Delsea Regional) was saddled with the loss. Pilitowski (2-4) yielded six runs on eight hits and one walk.
On Sunday afternoon, UMBC faces Central Connecticut State in the championship game of the NEC Baseball Tournament. First pitch is slated for 12:30 p.m. UMBC must win two games to earn the league crown and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. CCSU must only win one game.
Game Six
Central Connecticut State 11, UMBC 2
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Lakewood, NJ -- Central Connecticut State University received a clutch pitching performance from senior Justin Cerbone (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) as the Blue Devils posted an 11-2 win over UMBC in the championship game of the 2002 Northeast Conference Baseball Tournament at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, New Jersey. With the victory, the Blue Devils earned their first-ever NEC baseball title and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Cerbone (4-1) pitched a complete game, allowing just two runs as he scattered six hits and two walks, while striking out five Retrievers.
"Justin Cerbone has been the biggest supporter of everyone else on this team all season," said CCSU head coach Charlie Hickey. "He’s faced some of our toughest non-conference opponents all year. When his chance came today against an NEC opponent, he was very special. It was a joy to watch."
The Blue Devils pounced on UMBC early in the game as Jay Landeen (Southington, Conn./Southington) walked and Rob Hosgood (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) singled to lead off the first inning. After a groundout fielder’s choice put runners at the corners, Phil Rothkugel (Plainville, Conn./Plainville) plated Landeen with a single to right centerfield. Kevin Rival (New Britain, Conn./New Britain) executed a perfect sacrifice squeeze to push Tim D’Aquila (Middletown, N.Y./Middletown) across and give Central a 2-0 lead.
The Blue Devils struck again in the third inning. Landeen reached on a passed ball and scored on a double to left-centerfield by Hosgood. D’Aquila singled down the rightfield line to plate Hosgood for a 4-0 lead. With D’Aquila on first, Rothkugel delivered a titanic shot over the rightfield fence to give the Blue Devils a 6-0 margin.
Central added an insurance run in the fourth inning. Hosgood and D’Aquila led off the frame with singles and moved to second and third on a double steal. Rival gave CCSU a 7-0 lead with a sacrifice fly.
The Blue Devils tacked on another run in the eighth inning with a run-scoring triple by Hosgood that gave Central an 8-0 lead.
UMBC made a late charge as Jared Boyd (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy) singled to lead off the bottom half of the inning. After a groundout moved Boyd to second base, Brad Glascock (Bel Air, Md./Wright) laced a single up the middle to score Boyd. Greg Deboy (Linthicum, Md./Calvert Hall) hit a double to score Glascock.
The Blue Devils added three more runs in the ninth to close out the scoring.
Matt Farina (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum) was saddled with the loss. Farina (2-4) allowed six runs - five earned - on five hits and one walk in 2.0 innings of work.
Rival was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after earning a win against UMBC on Friday and adding a save in the Blue Devils’ victory over Monmouth yesterday. He did not allow an earned run and yielded just three hits in 5.2 innings pitched, while striking out six. He also went 3-10 (.300) from the plate, stroked two doubles and drove in three runs. |