Senior outfielder Billy Karalis went 2-for-4 with a run today, while also swiping three bases. |
Skyhawks strand a pair of runners on base in the ninth inning
EASTON, Mass. (April 1, 2014) – Stonehill College stranded the potential game-tying run on third base in the ninth inning as visiting Bentley University hung on for a 3-2 victory this afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division baseball action at Lou Gorman Field.
Seniors Billy Karalis (Pawtucket, R.I./Bishop Feehan) and Dan Fratus (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) keyed Stonehill's offensive effort, as both players recorded a pair of hits. Karalis went 2-for-4 with a run and three steals, while Fratus was 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk and one RBI. Sophomore second baseman Chris Hoyt (Walpole, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) also picked up a hit for the Skyhawks.
Sophomore John Hauck (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) posted a solid effort on the mound, as he started the game and lasted 5.1 innings, giving up one run on four hits to go with two strikeouts and a walk. Classmate Mike Krupczak (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) took the loss after relieving Hauck in the sixth and allowing two runs despite giving up just one hit with three strikeouts and a walk. Junior Armand Rugel (Middletown, R.I./Middletown) was Stonehill's third pitcher of the afternoon, and he went 1.1 innings, giving up one hit to go with a strikeout and a walk.
Bentley utilized a balanced attack at the plate, as six different players picked up hits. Junior outfielder Mike Muir (Bridgewater, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) went 1-for-3 with a walk and delivered the game-winning hit for the Falcons, a two-run single to left center field in the eighth inning that broke a 1-1 tie and gave Bentley the lead for good. Freshman second baseman Burton Deady (Andover, Mass./Andover) went 1-for-3 with one RBI, and senior third baseman Nate Witkowski (Melrose, Mass./Malden Catholic) recorded a hit, a run, and a walk.
Junior Connor Root (Nashua, N.H./Nashua North) earned the win for the Falcons with an impressive effort on the mound, as he went 8.2 innings while allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits to go with six strikeouts and two walks. Freshman Ray Rowell (Wellfleet, Mass./Nauset Regional) earned his second save of the season after working out of a jam in the ninth inning.
After a scoreless first, Bentley took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by Deady. Muir walked to lead off the frame, and two batters later sophomore catcher Bryan Rocha (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) singled to put runners on first and second with one down. Muir advanced to third as the next batter flied out to right field, and came around to score on the next play as Deady sent a scorching ground ball off the glove of Stonehill third baseman Christian Baglini (Milford, Conn./Notre Dame).
Two innings later, Stonehill tied the contest with a run-scoring single by Fratus, his second hit of the afternoon. Karalis reached base on an infield single with one out, and proceeded to steal second and third base. Following a Baglini strikeout, Fratus singled to right center field, scoring Karalis and evening the score at 1-1.
Senior Dan Fratus went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one walk in Stonehill's 3-2 loss to Bentley. |
Neither team scored in the next three innings, but Bentley took the lead for the second time in the game with two runs in the top of the eighth. Senior outfielder Sean Keady (Norwood, Mass./Norwood) reached base with a bunt single with one out in the inning, before advancing to second on a wild pitch. After a walk and a fly out, Rugel replaced Krupczak, looking to get out of the inning with the score still tied. Rugel issued a walk to the first batter he faced, loading the bases, and Muir came up next and drove in two runs with a single to left center field.
Stonehill got one run back in the ninth inning, but stranded a pair of runners on base, including one on third. Hoyt singled with one out and advanced to third on another single by Karalis. After Baglini fouled out for the second out of the inning, Karalis stole second, and a throwing error by Rocha allowed Hoyt to score and Karalis to advance to third, cutting Bentley's lead in half. With the potential game-tying run just 90 feet away, Fratus drew a walk, spelling the end of Root's outing. With two runners on base and two outs, senior first baseman Anthony Pagano (Cranston, R.I./Cranston West) struck out to end the game.
Stonehill (13-10, 3-3 NE-10) will be right back in action tomorrow, as the Skyhawks are set to head to Assumption College for a makeup of the postponed contest from March 26th. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m. Stonehill will return to Lou Gorman Field for a pair of Northeast-10 doubleheaders this weekend. The Skyhawks will take on Adelphi University on Saturday and Pace University on Sunday, with the first game starting at noon on both days. Bentley (9-8, 5-1 NE-10) will also be making up a previously postponed game tomorrow, as the Falcons will be hosting Merrimack College at 3:30 p.m. at DeFelice Field in Waltham, Mass.
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