Senior captain Dan Fratus hit .350 with four RBI in five NE-10 Tournament games last week. |
NCAA DII Baseball Tournament East Region Central
Skyhawks making first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010 and third overall
EASTON, Mass. (May 12, 2015) – Second-seeded Stonehill College makes its return to the NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament on Thursday at 3 p.m. against fifth-seeded Dowling College in the first round of the East Regional at Pappas Field on the campus of host and top-seeded Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire.
Admission for each day of the double elimination tournament is $8 for adults, and $5 for senior citizens, children and students with an ID from a participating school. For those unable to make it to Franklin Pierce, live stats will be available via www.stonehillskyhawks.com.
Stonehill (33-13-1, 16-7 NE-10) is making its third appearance all-time in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2010, all three of which have come under 18th-year head coach Pat Boen. The Skyhawks reached the NCAAs for the first time back in 2000 with the Northeast-10 Conference's automatic bid, following the program's second NE-10 Tournament title. Stonehill captured another conference championship in 2010, securing a return to the NCAA field after a nine-year absence.
The Skyhawks are coming off a run to the final round of the NE-10 Tournament last weekend, where they fell to top seed and eventual champion Franklin Pierce. Stonehill, which earned the third seed out of the Northeast Division, edged second-seeded Southern New Hampshire University 4-3 in Manchester last Tuesday night, before going 2-2 during the tournament's double elimination round hosted by the University of New Haven.
Senior catcher Eric Schneider (Camarillo, California/Saint Bonaventure), an All-NE-10 second team selection this spring, led the Skyhawk offense during the NE-10 Tournament, hitting .368 (7-for-19) with three doubles, two triples and eight RBI. He came through with a clutch two-run single in the sixth inning of Stonehill's first round win at Southern New Hampshire, before going 2-for-4 with a double and a triple in Saturday's 7-6 loss to Franklin Pierce.
Senior shortstop Dan Fratus (Plymouth, Massachusetts/Plymouth North) and junior center fielder Chris Hoyt (Walpole, Massachusetts/Xaverian Brothers), who both earned spots on the All-NE-10 first team for their efforts during the regular season, were also key contributors as the Skyhawks reached the final round of the conference tournament for the sixth time in program history. Hoyt posted a team-high .391 (9-for-23) batting average over the five games with a walk, a double and five runs scored, while Fratus checked in at .350 (7-for-20) with a double, one home run, and four RBI to go with two stolen bases, three walks and five runs scored. Both Fratus and Schneider were named to the NE-10 All-Tournament team following Saturday's contest.
Freshman Michael Young (4-2, 0.59 ERA) will get the start against Dowling on Thursday. |
Stonehill will likely send freshman right-hander Michael Young (Mashpee, Massachusetts/Pope John Paul II) to the mound on Thursday afternoon. The NE-10 Rookie Pitcher of the Year, who made ten appearances out of the bullpen before joining the starting rotation in mid-April, is 4-2 this season with a team-leading 0.59 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 46.0 innings. Young led Stonehill past Adelphi University with a dominant performance in his first career postseason start on Thursday, allowing just three hits over eight shutout innings.
Dowling (27-15, 15-9 ECC) is making its tenth appearance all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including its second straight trip and fourth in the last five years. The Golden Lions, who were East Coast Conference regular season co-champions this spring, captured their only East Region title in 2009.
Senior catcher Daniel Parisi (Shirley, New York/Longwood) and senior outfielder John Cruz (Levittown, New York/Levittown Division) were among five Golden Lions to earn All-ECC honors this season with their selections to the first team. Parisi is hitting .357 (50-for-140) with six doubles, four triples and 14 walks in 38 games, while Cruz has contributed eight doubles and four triples to go with 16 walks 12 stolen bases. Parisi and Cruz are tied for the team lead with 26 RBI each and have scored a combined 53 runs.
Senior right-hander Kyle DeMeo (Franklin Square, New York/Frank Carey) has started a team-high nine contests for Dowling this season, posting a record of 4-1 with a 2.62 earned run average and 38 strikeouts in 44.2 innings.
When these two teams last met, the Golden Lions rallied from a late 4-2 deficit to post a 5-4 victory over Stonehill on February 23rd, 2014 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Thursday's winner will take on the winner of the No. 3 Southern New Hampshire/No. 4 Wilmington University contest on Friday night at 7 p.m., while the loser will face the winner of the No. 1 Franklin Pierce/No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas matchup on Friday morning at 11 a.m.
The East Region champion, which will be crowned on Sunday at Pappas Field, advances to the the NCAA DII Championship, to be held from May 23-30 at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament East Regional – Hosted by Franklin Pierce University
Thursday, May 14
Game 1: (1) Franklin Pierce vs. (6) St. Thomas Aquinas – 11:00 a.m.
Game 2: (2) Stonehill vs. (5) Dowling – 3:00 p.m.
Game 3: (3) Southern NH vs. (4) Wilmington – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 15
Game 4: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – 11:00 a.m.
Game 5: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 3 Loser – 3:00 p.m.
Game 6: Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner – 7:00 p.m.
If four teams remain after game 6, the following schedule will be used:
Saturday, May 16
Game 7: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner – 3:00 p.m.
Game 8: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser – 6:30 p.m.
Game 9: Game 8 Winner vs. Game 7 Loser – 10:00p.m.
Sunday, May 17
Game 10: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner – 1:00 p.m.
Game 11: Game 10 rematch* -- 5:00 p.m.
*Game 11 only necessary if Game 9 Winner wins Game 10.
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If five teams remain after Game 6, the following schedule will be used:
Saturday, May 16
Game 7: Game 5 Loser vs. Game 6 Loser – 3:00 p.m.
Game 8: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner – 6:30 p.m.
Game 9: Game 6 Winner vs. Game 7 Winner – 10:00p.m.
If two teams remain after Game 9, the following schedule will be used:
Sunday, May 17
Game 10: Game 8 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner – 1:00 p.m.
Game 11: Game 10 rematch* -- 5:00 p.m.
*Game 11 only necessary if Game 8 Winner wins Game 10.
If three teams remain after Game 9, the following schedule will be used:
Sunday, May 17
Game 10: Game 8 Winner vs. Game 9 Loser – 1:00 p.m.
Game 11: Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner – 5:00 p.m.
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