Senior Zack Soulier became Stonehill's all-time wins leader today with his 24th career victory. |
Soulier becomes all-time wins leader, while Fratus delivers game-winning hit
MANCHESTER, N.H. (May 9, 2014) – Senior lefthander Zack Soulier (Milford, Connecticut/Jonathan Law) threw 7.2 innings of one-run ball and classmate Dan Fratus (Plymouth, Massachusetts/Plymouth North) broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run double in the sixth inning as Northeast Division third seed Stonehill College defeated Southwest Division fourth seed Adelphi University in the first game of this weekend's Northeast-10 Conference Baseball Championship double elimination round, hosted by Southern New Hampshire University at Penmen Field.
Soulier became Stonehill's all-time wins leader today with his 24th career victory, surpassing the mark of 23 wins set by Billy Sittig, '06, that Soulier matched on May 2nd. The second team All-NE-10 selection gave up just one run on six hits in his 7.2 innings of work, improving his 2014 record to 9-2 in the process. Junior reliever Armand Rugel (Middletown, Rhode Island/Middletown) took over for Soulier with two outs in the eighth and earned his NE-10 leading 13th save of the season.
Fratus, who powered Stonehill to an 11-4 victory over Franklin Pierce University in Wednesday's first round with a third inning grand slam, provided the game-winning hit again today with his two-run double in the bottom of the sixth. Sophomore Brian Campbell (Franklin, Massachusetts/Mount Saint Charles) went 3-for-4 with a double and a run, while seniors Billy Karalis (Pawtucket, Rhode Island/Bishop Feehan) and Anthony Pagano (Cranston, Rhode Island/Cranston West) added a hit each.
Senior Dan Fratus recorded his second game-winning hit in as many games today, as he drove in the go-ahead runs with a double down the left field line in the sixth inning. |
Adelphi was led by seniors Richard Mejia (Jackson, New Jersey/Perkiomen School) and Kevin Hutzel (Massapequa, New York/St. Anthony's). Mejia went 2-for-2 at the plate with a pair of walks, while Hutzel was 2-for-4 with a double and a run.
Freshman TJ Santiago (Linden, New Jersey/Linden) took the loss for the Panthers after giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits in 7.1 innings of work. Santiago also recorded six strikeouts and issued two walks before giving way to classmate Michael Ceperano (Melville, New York/Half Hollow Hills High), who pitched the final 0.2 frames.
Hutzel got Adelphi's first inning rally started with a single to left field, before advancing to second on a passed ball. After the next two batters reached to load the bases, freshman Robert Vani (Garden City, New York/Chaminade) hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Hutzel from third for the game's first run.
Stonehill failed to get a runner past first base in the first two innings, but the Skyhawks plated a run in the third to tie the contest. Karalis singled to left field with one out, before moving up two bases on a failed pickoff attempt. He came in to score on the next play, as sophomore Chris Hoyt (Walpole, Massachusetts/Xaverian Brothers) grounded out to shortstop.
The Skyhawks had an opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the fifth, as Pagano led off with a single and Karalis walked three batters later, but Hoyt grounded out again to end the threat.
Mejia got Adelphi's half of the sixth started off with a single to center field, but Soulier struck out the next batter before inducing an inning-ending double play. After giving up the first inning run, the senior lefthander did not let a baserunner get past first base over the next five frames.
Still tied 1-1 in the sixth, Stonehill plated a pair of runs to take a 3-1 lead. Campbell led off with a single up the middle, his second hit of the contest, before Baglini singled to put runners on first and second. After Schneider sacrificed both runners into scoring position, Fratus delivered his second huge hit in as many games, as he drove in two runs with a double down the left field line. Lee came up next and singled to right field, but Fratus was thrown out on a controversial play at the plate to end the inning.
Soulier got the first two outs of the eighth inning, but Hutzel ended his outing with a double to left field. Rugel then took over and walked the first batter he faced before getting the third out. Rugel also gave up a hit in the ninth, but he was able to induce a double play en route to his 13th save of the season.
Stonehill (30-18, 17-10 NE-10), which reached the 30-win plateau today for the fifth time in head coach Pat Boen's 17-year tenure, will be back in action tomorrow at 2 p.m. against Northeast Division top seed Southern New Hampshire (37-12, 20-7 NE-10), with the winner advancing to Sunday's action. Adelphi (22-22, 14-12 NE) will play New Haven tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. in an elimination game.
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