Harwich, MA ---Western New England sophomore Nick Salerno (Essex Junction, VT) tossed 7 2/3 solid frames with six strikeouts as he helped lead the fourth-seeded Golden Bears to a 5-3 victory over #6 St. Joseph's (Maine) this morning in an elimination game in the NCAA Division III Baseball Tournament at Whitehouse Field.
Western New England (33-12) moves on to the 8 PM night game in an effort to stay alive in the tournament as they will play the winner of this afternoon's second-seeded Wheaton and #8 Daniel Webster match-up.
The Monks, who are making their seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, wrap up their year at 31-14.
Junior Jeff Schult (Wappingers Falls, NY) helped the Golden Bears start off the game with the 1-0 advantage when he crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly by senior Jeff Rubino (Northford, CT).
St. Joseph's came right back and knotted up the game 1-1 on an RBI single by senior Mike Pratt (Dartmouth, MA) who plated classmate Sam Butts (Saco, ME).
But the Golden Bears scored four runs in the top of the next frame make the score 5-1. Monk junior starter Nick Whittaker (Yarmouth, ME) issued four straight walks – including Schult to drive in senior Taylor Perun (Plainville, CT) for the go-ahead score.
Freshman Tim Budd (Cheshire, CT) then crossed home on a pitch that was a little too low from the shortstop to be fielded by the catcher for a play at the plate. Rubino followed with a run producing single and sophomore Steve Buckley (Monroe, CT) capped off the rally by scoring on a dropped infield fly ball in the outfield.
The Monks touched up Salerno for two runs in the bottom of the fifth for the 5-3 margin.
After sophomore Joe Coyne (Duxbury, MA) drove in the first on an RBI ground-out, Pratt laced a single down the left field line to manufacture the second tally, but Perun fired a laser beam to second base to end the frame and the threat.
Salerno set down his next eight batters before Pratt and sophomore Nic Lops (S. Portland, ME) helped the Monks threaten with consecutive base-knocks. However, senior Kevin Jefferis (Cheshire, CT) got out of the frame on a ground-out to preserve the lead.
In the bottom of the ninth, Jefferis hurled a scoreless inning to record his sixth save of the campaign.
Salerno (5-1) finished giving up three earned runs while he scattered 11 base-knocks.
Whittaker (6-3) absorbed the loss for the Monks as he went the first 3 1/3 innings allowing five runs (two earned) on four hits to go with four walks and a trio of punch outs.
St. Joseph's freshman reliever Corey McNamara (W. Newbury, MA), who entered the game in the fourth with a runner on second and one out, put the team on his shoulders with five 2/3 of scoreless, three-hit relief to close out the contest. McNamara rung up four on strikes and he issued a pair of walks.
For Western New England, Rubino and Buckley notched two hits apiece to pace a seven-hit attack and Rubino also plated a pair of runners.
Pratt was 3-for-4 with two RBIs while Butts, Lops and sophomore Alex Lorenc (Nanuet, NY) all chipped in with two safeties each.