YORK, PA – Misericordia University scored the tying run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and went on to walk off with a 6-5 victory in 10 innings against the Rowan University baseball team at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional.
The Profs were ahead 5-4 entering the bottom of the ninth. Catcher Conor Smith (jr. Easton, PA/Easton) was hit by a pitch with one out and was pinch ran for by Dalton Emerich (fr. Sinking Spring, PA/Wilson). Emerich stole second. After a strikeout, the Cougars were down to their final strike when shortstop Sean Boylan (fr. Easton, PA/Easton) sent a 2-2 pitch through the left side to score Emerich and tie the score at five.
Rowan was able to load the bases with two outs in the 10th but left hander Zach Mason (jr. Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Reg.) was able to induce a fly out to get out of the jam. Second baseman Alec Iurato (sr. Chappaqua, NY/Yorktown) singled through the right side with one away in the bottom of the frame. He stole second and went to third on a groundout. Designated hitter/catcher Santo Guinta (jr. Ridgefield, NJ/Ridgefield) plated Iurato with an infield single for the win.
The top-seeded Profs (34-10) next face #3 Arcadia University in an elimination game on Saturday, May 19 at 10 a.m. The fifth-seeded Cougars (33-12) play on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and will battle the winner of the game between #2 Babson College and #6 Union College.
Mason was credited with the victory for Misericordia. He (2-1) tossed the final two innings and gave up just one hit. Right-hander Jordan Friedman (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill E.) took the loss (0-1). Starter Danny Serreino (jr. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) went 8.2 innings and struck out eight batters.
Iurato finished with two hits (three at bats) and two runs scored. Guinta had two hits, a double and two RBIs. Center fielder Parker Abate (jr. Malvern, PA/Malvern Prep) knocked in one run and scored twice. First baseman Tyler Holzapfel (so. Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) recorded a double and one RBI. Third baseman Kenny Jarema (jr. Downingtown, PA/Downingtown W.) crossed the plate one time.
Left fielder Monny Strickland (sr. Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) led the Profs with two hits (four at bats), a double and two RBIs. Shortstop/third baseman Dillon Mendel (jr. Sparta, NJ/Sparta), first baseman Anthony Harrold (jr. Woodbury, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and right fielder Kyle Golla (sr. Palm Coast, FL/Allentown (NJ)) drove in one run apiece. Center fielder Dan Shane (jr. Perkasie, PA/Pennridge) touched home twice while second baseman Alex Kokos (so. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley), designated hitter Shawn Leydon (sr. Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) and third baseman Nick Schooley (fr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) each scored once.
Rowan struck first in the top of the third. Shane reached on a leadoff walk and came around to score on Harrold's sacrifice fly. Misericordia took the lead with two runs in the bottom half. Abate plated Jarema with a base hit and then scored on Holzapfel's double down the right field line. The Profs tied it at two in the fourth when Golla batted in Leydon with a single to right center.
The Cougars went ahead 4-2 after two runs in the sixth. Guinta doubled to left and Abate scored. Iurato then came home on a wild pitch. The Profs responded with three runs in the seventh to take a 5-4 advantage. Schooley and Shane started with back-to-back base hits and were on first and third respectively. Mendel knocked in Schooley with a groundout. After a walk by Kokos and a strikeout, Strickland smacked a two-run go-ahead double to left center. Rowan held the lead until Boylan's hit in the ninth.
The NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional schedule is below.
Thursday, May 17 (Games 1 and 2 played at PeoplesBank Park; Games 3 and 4 played at Harford Community College)
Game 1: #5 Misericordia 4, #4 Virginia Wesleyan 1
Game 2: #1 Rowan 9, #8 Castleton 0
Game 3: #6 Union 10, #3 Arcadia 3
Game 4: #2 Babson 12, #7 Catholic 11
Friday, May 18
Game 5: #4 Virginia Wesleyan 4, #8 Castleton 3 (Castleton is eliminated)
Game 6: #3 Arcadia 13, #7 Catholic 2 (Catholic is eliminated)
Game 7: #5 Misericordia 6, #1 Rowan 5 (10 inn.)
Game 8: #6 Union vs. #2 Babson, 8:55 p.m.
Saturday, May 19
Game 9: #3 Arcadia vs. #1 Rowan, 10 a.m.
Game 10: #4 Virginia Wesleyan vs. loser game 8, 1:15 p.m.
Game 11: #5 Misericordia vs. winner game 8, 4:30 p.m.
Game 12: winner game 9 vs. winner game 10, 7:45 p.m.
Sunday, May 20
Game 13: winner game 12 vs. loser game 11, noon
Game 14: winner game 11 vs. winner game 13, 3:30 p.m.
Monday, May 21
Game 15: same teams as game 14 (if necessary), 11 a.m.