HOBOKEN, N.J. (May 10, 2021) – Junior Ryan Finegan made a diving catch in left center in the bottom of the first to save at least one run and hit a two-run bomb the next half inning to swing the momentum and help the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team earn a 13-8 victory over DeSales University Monday night at Dobbelaar Field to earn a spot in the MAC Freedom Championship series.

With the win, the Ducks improve to 23-10 overall this season and will compete with the #1 seed Misericordia University as they look to win their first conference title since taking the CUNYAC title in 2014. The two teams split the regular season series earlier this year.

DeSales, meanwhile, closes its season at 23-9 after earning the #2 seed in the MAC Freedom Tournament.

"This group has shown a lot of resiliency throughout the year and tonight," head coach Kristaps Aldins said. "They have so much to be proud of. This is a big win for our program and now we move on to prepare for yet another tough opponent in Misericordia coming this weekend."

Finegan's big play came after the Bulldogs, who were acting as the home team on the scoreboard, jumped on the scoreboard first with a pair of runs on an RBI fielder's choice and error.

With runners on the corners and two away, Joe Grigas lifted what looked like was going to be a run-scoring double into the gap in left center. Finegan sprinted back and dove into and through the temporary fence in left to make a spectacular catch, however, to end the inning and the threat.

The next half inning, junior Ryan Wall led the inning off by drawing a walk to set the table for Finegan to lift a 3-1 pitch over the "chain link monster" in right field to tie the contest. It was Finegan's second home run this season and fourth of his career.

From there, Stevens was able to grab the momentum as sophomore Ryan Shea kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard for the next three frames.

In the top of the third, the Ducks took the lead when seniors Nate Zuckerman and Thomas Paulich led things off with back-to-back singles and first-year Johnny Albrecht walked to load the bases.

After a pitching change, sophomore Michael Reyes drove in a run on a fielder's choice and Wall doubled the lead with an RBI single into center field.

Stevens tacked on two more in the fourth and another in the fifth thanks to a bases loaded walk by Zuckerman, an RBI groundout off the bat of Albrecht and a sacrifice fly from Finegan to make the score 7-2.

The Bulldogs were able to get a couple of runs back in the bottom of the fifth when Thomas Carpenter ripped a solo blast over the wall in center to lead off the inning and pinch-hitter Hunter Spalt brought home a run on an infield single.

With the potential tying run at the plate and two outs in the inning, first-year Jacob Buurman, who came on in relief of Shea, was able to get a big strikeout to strand a pair of runners on base and end the threat. Buurman (3- 0) earned the win on the hill for his performance in relief.

The three-run lead quickly expanded once again in the top of the sixth after back-to-back walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one away in the frame.

The Ducks scored their first run of the inning on a wild pitch and tacked on another thanks to an RBI single to left by Wall.

Junior Chris Silos then put Stevens in double figures by driving home Albrecht with an RBI fielder's choice to push the lead to six.

In the seventh, the Ducks took their largest lead of the game when Zuckerman got a 1-1 pitch her could handle and drove it out to right field and bring the score to 11-4.

The Bulldogs, playing for their playoff lives, did not fold as they responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame thanks to back-to-back two-out RBI base hits from Colin McCunney and Ethan Carmack.

Then in the eighth, one of only two innings where Stevens did not score, DeSales cut the deficit back down to three when Sergio Diaz lifted a 1-2 pitch over the fence in center for a two-run homer.

In the ninth with the score now 11-8, sophomore Ben Tobio, junior Brett Mendez and Zuckerman all reached base to open the inning and set the table for Paulich who stayed patient at the plate and walked to bring home a run.

Two batters later, first-year Christian Kreiser did the same with the bases still juiced to add another insurance run and bring the score to 13-8.

In the bottom half of the frame, reigning MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week sophomore Anthony Pron got the final three outs of the game, the first of which was a stellar over-the-shoulder catch by Paulich at short, to seal the win and keep the Ducks' season alive.

Offensively, Zuckerman finished the contest 3 for 3 with a homer, two RBI, three runs scored and three walks as he reached base all six times he came to the plate as did Wall who finished 4 for 4 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk.

Finegan also had a multi-hit game for the Ducks going 2 for 3 with three RBIs, two runs scored and a walk.

All nine starters for Stevens reached base safely in the contest as the Ducks drew a season-high 13 walks in the win. In fact, the 13 free passes were the most in a single game for Stevens since Houghton issues 15 walks on April 30, 2016.

"There's nothing more exciting than playoff baseball with a chance to play for a championship," Aldins said.

Next Up: The quest for that championship for Stevens will occur next weekend against the Cougars with the first two games of the doubleheader happening in Dallas, Pa. and the if-necessary winner-take-all contest happening the following day in Hoboken.

Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics         
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
#AllRise