In a matchup between the only two undefeated teams in the NCAA Division III Baseball Mid-Atlantic Regional, second-seeded St. John Fisher College rallied for a 6-5 win over No. 5 University of Massachusetts-Boston Friday night at PNC Field in Moosic, Pa.
With the win, Fisher improves to 37-11 overall. The Cardinals are now the only undefeated team left in the eight-team, double-elimination tournament and will have two chances to earn one more win and secure the program's first-ever appearance in the Appleton, Wisc., for the national championship.
Fisher will play either UMass-Boston, Kean University or Penn-State Berks at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday. If the Cardinals lose, they will play another game on Sunday to determine the regional champion.
For the third night in a row, the Cardinals needed eighth-inning heroics to secure the win. On Wednesday night, Fisher scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull out a 6-5 win over Salve Regina University, while the Cardinals snapped a scoreless tie with nine runs in the eighth in a 9-0 win over Kean University last night.
Tonight, Fisher led 2-1 going into the eighth, but the Beacons scored four runs to take the 5-2 edge.
Senior Mike Roman led off the bottom of the eighth with a double and scored on an RBI-single from Scott Eisenmenger to make it 5-3.
After back-to-back singles from Joe Simmons and Malcolm Kelsey, who both finished with two hits on the day, loaded the bases, catcher Jack Vivinetto came through with one of the best at-bats of the season, working a 14-pitch plate appearance for a walk to make it 5-4.
Evan Ryan then delivered the eventual game-winning hit, a single through the left side to score Kelsey and Simmons.
Loukas Brigham earned the save in the ninth, his 10th of the year and his second in the last three days.
Reliever DJ Mendenhall earned his second win in less than 48 hours, raising his record to 2-0 on the year.
Starting pitcher Terry Engels allowed just one run earned run over the first innings, but did not factor in the decision.