Stonehill Drops Marathon 14-Inning Contest At SNHU, 4-2


Junior Brian Hocking went 2-for-5 with a walk and a solo home run in Stonehill's 4-2, 11-inning loss to Southern New Hampshire today.

Junior Brian Hocking leads Skyhawks with 2-for-5 effort, a walk and a home run

MANCHESTER, N.H. (April 11, 2015) – Southern New Hampshire University snapped a 2-2 tie with two runs in the top of the 14th inning, outlasting Stonehill College for a 4-2 victory this afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division baseball action at Penmen Field in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Trailing 2-0 through six innings, Stonehill scored single runs in the seventh and eighth to force extra innings. After four scoreless extra frames, Southern New Hampshire loaded the bases in the 14th before plating two runs on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.

Junior Brian Hocking (Duxbury, Massachusetts/BC High) led the Skyhawks at the plate today, going 2-for-5 with a walk and a solo home run. Senior Christian Baglini (Milford, Connecticut/Notre Dame High) went 1-for-4 with two walks, while junior Chris Hoyt (Walpole, Massachusetts/Xaverian Brothers) chipped in with a single.

Senior righthander Armand Rugel (Middletown, Rhode Island/Middletown) got the start for Stonehill but did not earn a decision after giving up two runs on six hits through 6.1 innings of work. Rugel also struck out five but issued seven walks. Freshman Michael Young (Mashpee, Massachusetts/Pope John Paul II) was impressive in relief, striking out seven in five shutout innings while allowing just one hit. Sophomore Aubrey Solomon (Groton, Massachusetts/Lawrence Academy) took the loss after giving up both runs in the 14th.


Young

Sophomore Zach Goldstein (Merrick, New York/Calhoun) went 2-for-5 with two walks and a run out of Southern New Hampshire's leadoff spot, while classmate Manny Cruz (Wolcott, Connecticut/Wolcott) also posted a 2-for-5 effort with a walk and two runs. Graduate student Mike Montville (Portsmouth, New Hampshire/Portsmouth) went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI, and senior Alejandro Diaz (Old Bridge, New Jersey/Old Bridge) recorded a sacrifice fly in the 14th.

Senior righthander Cole Warren (Bedford, New Hampshire/New Hampton School) started on the mound for Southern New Hampshire and struck out ten while giving up just two runs (one earned) through 7.2 frames, but did not earn a decision. Sophomore Alex Person (Foxboro, Massachusetts/Xaverian) picked up the win after tossing four scoreless innings of relief.

The Penmen stranded a combined three runners on base over the first two innings, before getting to Rugel for two runs in the top of the third. Goldstein led off the inning with a single to center field, and Cruz followed with a walk. After sophomore Carson Helms (Farmington, Connecticut/Farmington) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Montville plated a pair with an RBI single to center.   

Still trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Hocking cut Stonehill's deficit in half with a solo home run to center field, his team-leading third of the season. The Skyhawks tied the score the following inning, as sophomore Steve Lee (Braintree, Massachusetts/Braintree) led off with a walk and advanced two bases on a pair of groundouts before crossing the plate on a passed ball.


Junior Armand Rugel struck out five and gave up two runs over 6.1 innings, but did not earn a decision.

Stonehill, which was playing as the home team, had its best opportunity to walk off with a win in the bottom of the 12th, when freshman Joe Klingensmith (Topsfield, Massachusetts/Masconomet) reached third base with two outs before Lee grounded out to end the inning.

Solomon came on to pitch the 14th for the Skyhawks and retired the first batter he faced, but ran into trouble as he gave up consecutive singles to Cruz and Helms before hitting Montville with a pitch to load the bases. After regaining the lead on a wild pitch, Diaz put the Penmen up 4-2 with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Stonehill would bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 14th, but senior Eric Schneider (Camarillo, California/Saint Bonaventure) lined out to end the four-hour game.

This afternoon's matchup was Stonehill's fifth extra-inning contest of the season, including third in the last six games. The Skyhawks are 2-3-1 in those games, but have lost two straight.

Stonehill (16-8-1, 4-4 NE-10) will look to bounce back tomorrow, as the Skyhawks are set to open the home portion of their schedule with a doubleheader against Southern Connecticut State University. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Lou Gorman Field. Southern New Hampshire (15-7, 3-2 NE-10) is off tomorrow before returning to action on Monday against American International College.

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