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No. 4 Salisbury ends season in regional final, No. 5 JHU knocks off top seed 9-4
May 17, 2008
Press Release posted by Salisbury Permalink
DANVILLE, Va. -- The No. 4 Salisbury University baseball team saw its season come to a close Saturday afternoon in the 2008 NCAA Division III South Regional final against No. 5 Johns Hopkins, 9-4, at Dan Daniel Memorial Park in Danville, Va. The top-seed Sea Gulls finished the year with a school record 41 wins and held a winning streak of 35 games during the season.
The Blue Jays (39-6), the second-seed in the regional, advances to next week's College World Series in Appleton, Wis., as the South Regional champions. This is the second time JHU has reached the College World Series.
SU fell behind the Blue Jays early as a critical Sea Gull error led to four unearned runs in the first inning of play. Junior starting pitcher Eric Willey (11-1) took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the first inning but struggled to get settled as he allowed six runs. Junior second baseman Randy Boyle committed a fielding error to allow the lead-off hitter for the Blue Jays to reach base. JHU followed with six hits which included two triples and a double before the maroon and gold got out of the inning down 6-1.
Salisbury bounced back in the second against JHU starter Dave Fioretti as junior Jordan Crystal (2-for-4, run, RBI) was knocked in by freshman shortstop Will Evans' (3-for-4, run, RBI) triple to right center. Evans was then brought around on freshman Brad Baylis' sacrifice fly to center. SU cut the JHU lead in half and only trailed, 6-3.
The Blue Jays called on pitcher Chez Angeloni (7-0) get them out of a jam in the third. He caused the Gulls to struggle as he pitched the remainder of the game (7.1 innings) where he allowed one run off of six hits.
The Gulls had similar starter troubles as Willey allowed three more runs over the next three innings before he was relieved by senior Ryan Bennick in the fifth. Bennick, after having thrown a complete-game yesterday (Friday) against Christopher Newport, didn't allow a Blue Jay hit for the final four innings of play.
"I didn't expect him to close out the game for us, after how hard he threw yesterday, but he just took the ball and went with it," said SU coach Doug Fleetwood.
Salisbury could not capitalize on the shutout pitching by Bennick as the Gulls failed to score a run in the final five innings of play. The contest marked the final game for SU seniors Brian Camper, Mark Bostwick (2-for-4, one run), Justin Armiger (0-for-4), Bennick and Tyler Riley (0-for-1).
Boyle went 0-for-3 at the plate today as he didn't reach base for the first time this season to end a streak of 44 consecutive games. He went hitless in only three games this season as he finished with a season batting average of .403 with 73 hits.
Three Sea Gulls were named to the All-Tournament team for the South Regional. Salisbury's selections were Bennick, Evans and freshman catcher Andrew Miller (1-for-4, run). Bennick made three appearances and posted a 1-0 record and a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings. Miller hit .409 (9-for-22) in five games with a double and two RBI. Evans batted .500 (9-for-18) for the tournament with a triple and four RBI.
The Blue Jays (39-6), the second-seed in the regional, advances to next week's College World Series in Appleton, Wis., as the South Regional champions. This is the second time JHU has reached the College World Series.
SU fell behind the Blue Jays early as a critical Sea Gull error led to four unearned runs in the first inning of play. Junior starting pitcher Eric Willey (11-1) took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the first inning but struggled to get settled as he allowed six runs. Junior second baseman Randy Boyle committed a fielding error to allow the lead-off hitter for the Blue Jays to reach base. JHU followed with six hits which included two triples and a double before the maroon and gold got out of the inning down 6-1.
Salisbury bounced back in the second against JHU starter Dave Fioretti as junior Jordan Crystal (2-for-4, run, RBI) was knocked in by freshman shortstop Will Evans' (3-for-4, run, RBI) triple to right center. Evans was then brought around on freshman Brad Baylis' sacrifice fly to center. SU cut the JHU lead in half and only trailed, 6-3.
The Blue Jays called on pitcher Chez Angeloni (7-0) get them out of a jam in the third. He caused the Gulls to struggle as he pitched the remainder of the game (7.1 innings) where he allowed one run off of six hits.
The Gulls had similar starter troubles as Willey allowed three more runs over the next three innings before he was relieved by senior Ryan Bennick in the fifth. Bennick, after having thrown a complete-game yesterday (Friday) against Christopher Newport, didn't allow a Blue Jay hit for the final four innings of play.
"I didn't expect him to close out the game for us, after how hard he threw yesterday, but he just took the ball and went with it," said SU coach Doug Fleetwood.
Salisbury could not capitalize on the shutout pitching by Bennick as the Gulls failed to score a run in the final five innings of play. The contest marked the final game for SU seniors Brian Camper, Mark Bostwick (2-for-4, one run), Justin Armiger (0-for-4), Bennick and Tyler Riley (0-for-1).
Boyle went 0-for-3 at the plate today as he didn't reach base for the first time this season to end a streak of 44 consecutive games. He went hitless in only three games this season as he finished with a season batting average of .403 with 73 hits.
Three Sea Gulls were named to the All-Tournament team for the South Regional. Salisbury's selections were Bennick, Evans and freshman catcher Andrew Miller (1-for-4, run). Bennick made three appearances and posted a 1-0 record and a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings. Miller hit .409 (9-for-22) in five games with a double and two RBI. Evans batted .500 (9-for-18) for the tournament with a triple and four RBI.