New Paltz State split a doubleheader with nationally ranked Salisbury. The Hawks defeated the Seagulls in the first game, 6-3 behind a solid pitching performance from Joel Judson. In the nightcap, the Seagulls earned a split with a 4-1 victory over the Hawks.

New Paltz would score two runs in the second inning and add four more in the fifth inning for a 6-1 lead. Brian Green would drive in two runs for Salisbury but a comeback was not in the cards as Judson struck out two of the last four batters.

Clinton Boettcher finished 1-for-2 with a run scored and two runs batted in and Philip Parker was perfect going 2-for-2 with a run and a run batted in. Judson pitched a gem, allowing three runs on three hits with seven strikeouts and only one walk, for his first career complete game.

Pinch hitter Chad Wolfe was 1-for-1 and a run scored and Green and Will Evans each were 1-for-3 on the day, including two runs batted in by Green. Kyle Judson took the loss on the mound for the Seagulls, allowing six runs on four hits, striking our four and walking three.

In the nightcap, it was Salisbury who took the early lead in the bottom of the first with the Hawks getting the equalizer in the third. The Seagulls got two runs on home runs by Green and Andrew Miller in the fifth. In the sixth, Ryan Smith added an RBI single that scored Mike Celenza from third after he walked to lead the inning off.

Miller finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one run batted in and Ryan Smith was 2-for-3 with a run batted in. Nathan Young pitched a three hit complete game for the Seagulls, allowing one run, striking out 11 and walking two.

Parker, Matt O'Neill and Michael Marash all added one hit for the Hawks Brett Harrison allowed four hits and was credited with the loss. Thomas Pinnola made his collegiate debut, allowing one hit in one inning of work.

In other action: Following a pair of two-run homers in the first and second innings each, Chapman settled in and let its freshmen arms handle the rest. The Panthers defeated Ithaca 6-0 at Hart Park. Righty Travis McGee tossed seven shutout innings to pick up his third victory of the season. The rookie scattered just six hits and struck out five batters. It was his fourth consecutive start giving up one earned run or less. Fellow freshman Christian Maietta threw a two hitless innings in relief to complete the shutout.

Justin Champagne, Chris Bligh and Chris Stallone continued their hot-hitting for Scranton against Fredonia State. The trio combined for five hits and three RBI in leading the Royals to a 6-4 victory in the first game of a 7-inning doubleheader. They also combined for seven of Scranton's nine hits in a 7-5 loss in the nightcap.

Fitchburg State got back on the winning track today, taking a pair of victories from Stevens and McDaniel. The Falcons boasted a 7-4 victory over Stevens in game one before downing McDaniel, 14-8 in game two. Nick Ryan led Fitchburg State to its first victory of the season, tossing six innings of three-run baseball.

Webster picked up a doubleheader split with DePauw in Greencastle, Indiana, winning the opener, 11-6, before dropping the second, 4-3, in 10 innings. Craig Schaefer led the attack in the Gorlok victory, while starter David Mueller picked up his first win on the season.
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In the midst of a three game losing steak, all to nationally ranked teams, the Kean Cougars (7-4) brought their bats to the park and needed them in a 16-15 win over Wooster (6-1). In a game that featured at least one hit from all but one starter, Kean out hit Wooster 20-17.

Matt Groezinger lead-off home run in the second got Wooster on the board for a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the second. In the bottom of the second, Kean brought 12 men to the plate, scoring nine to take their first lead in the two game series.

The Cougars followed with a four run third for a commanding 13-1 lead, but Wooster responded. Following Groezinger's second home run of the game, the Scots' added six more runs in the inning to get within 5 runs of the Cougars.

Both teams would add runs in the sixth inning with the lead moving to six runs but Wooster with a five run seventh would make it a one run game. Ken Gregory would score Michael Moceri to bottom of the seventh for what proved to be the winning run. Wooster would manage one more run in the ninth to finish the scoring in a game that approached 3.5 hours in length.

Julian Diaz earned the win with a six inning effort. Joseph Tarallo pitched the final 2.2 innings for his second save of the year. Matt DeGrand, the first of seven Scot pitchers in the game, took the loss, lasting only two innings.

Moceri was 4-for-6 while Eddie Jennings and Gregory each had three hits. Groezinger, Greg Van Horn had four hits for Wooster. Groezinger led the Scots' with four RBIs and four runs.

On Sunday, Matthew Barnes and Tyler Fugate allowed four hits as Wooster defeated Kean 4-1 in the first match up between the two national powerhouses since the 2009 Baseball Championship.

Wooster's first run came via an error, one of five on the day for the Cougars and kean tied the score with Dylan Laguna's solo shot in the sixth inning. That would be as close as Kean would get however, as the Scots (6-0) scored two in their half of the sixth and added another in the eighth.

Stephen Montalbano suffered the loss. Montalbano tossed a complete game giving up seven hits and four runs, three earned, with five strikeouts and two walks.

In other action: Brett Bugielski tossed a complete-game, one-hit, shutout to lead Hamline over Northwestern (Minn), by a score of 3-0, to the Piper's first win of the season.

Andy Trettel went 4-for-5 at the plate with five RBI to help Washington & Jefferson to a 12-3 victory over Allegheny (1-3) at Ross Memorial Park. The Presidents (1-0) pounded out 14 total hits during the nine-run victory.

Kevin Lyons and Jeff Ackerman both drove in four runs and Aaron Messier threw six innings of one-hit relief to lead Westfield State to a 12-2 rout of Endicott.

Nichols drew even on the season after a 6-4 victory over Hilbert at the Cocoa Expo. Dan Smith and Bryan Gill each drove in two runs in the win. Al Montalto was 1-for-2 with three stolen bases and two runs scored.

Plattsburgh State scored 23 runs and ripped 27 hits to sweep Bethel in a non-conference doubleheader, 9-7 and 14-7, at Terry Park .
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By Dave Kisor for D3sports.com

During the early spring, Arizona, Florida, Texas, South Carolina and other states that offer good playing conditions draw D-III baseball teams from the "cold weather states". For instance, at Myrtle Beach SC, some 65 collegiate teams (mostly DIII and some DII and JUCO) will get a start to their season, opening up play at the "Ripkin Experience".

During the first week of March, at the South Carolina facility, 10 D-III teams had a total of 51 games scheduled. The trips south serve an important function as it is the first time many teams get actual field time.

Head Coach Rick Espeset of Manchester understands the importance of the trip. "We have been coming to this facility for the past three years because we can count on getting games in and getting out of the gym". While Coach Espeset acknowledged that their facility was playable at the time of this year's trip, he stated that from year to year you "never know if the weather will allow play". While one would think that all the teams are on their "spring break", that was not the case for the Spartans, who traveled overnight on Wednesday into Thursday and got six games in prior to returning to Indiana on Sunday. Espeset explained that Manchester's spring break was too far into the season, so the trip to SC was on set dates that could be counted on.

Judd Folske, Head Coach at Alma, points out that "In the gym you can get a sense of individual player preparation, but you have to have field time for team preparation". Adds Folske, "With limited fall practice dates and time, and confinement to the gym during the winter, the early spring trip is vital". Folske also appreciates that it is very important for the new players to gain experience. That is why Alma, among other schools bring their JV teams.
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