Endicott Baseball Wins First NCAA Game, 12-10
May 21, 2004
Story courtesy of Eastern Conn Sports Information Department
MANSFIELD, CT - Endicott College relief pitcher Matt Bishop (WOBURN, MA) got a strikeout and comebacker to end an eighth-inning Amherst College threat as the Gulls remained alive in the NCAA Division III New England Regional Baseball Tournament with a 12-10 win over Amherst College this afternoon at the ECSU Baseball Stadium.
With its first NCAA tournament win in six games, fifth-seeded Endicott (27-20) advances in the losers' bracket to play against an undetermined opponent Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Sixth-seeded Amherst (19-18) is eliminated. The Gulls had lost 3-1 to second-seeded Western New England College in their opener Thursday while Amherst lost to top-seeded Eastern Connecticut 5-2 Thursday.
Endicott knocked out Amherst All-New England righty Brian Donahue (SUDBURY, MA) in the second inning en route to racing to early leads of 7-0 and 9-2. After Amherst chipped away, a three-run seventh inning restored the lead to 12-5 before the Lord Jeffs rallied again in the late innings.
Amherst scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh in chasing Endicott starter Greg Allain (BERLIN, NH) and pulling to within 12-9. Zach Schonberger (RYE, NY) drove in two runs with his fifth home run of the year, Dave Levinson (PHILADELPHIA, PA) doubled in one and Tom Sullivan (TEWKSBURY, MA) plated another with a single. In the eighth, pinch hitter Jared Banner (BROOKLYN, NY) led off with a double and Levinson's third hit of the game -- a single off Bishop -- plated him to make it 12-10. Bishop then hit a batter but escaped by getting a swinging strikeout and comebacker to end the threat. He retired the side in order in the ninth, striking out two.
As the starting first baseman, Bishop had four hits -- two of them doubles -- drove in two runs and scored one. As the No. 8 hitter, Brendan Tiani had three hits, scored twice and drove in two. Tiani capped a five-hit, five-run first inning with a two-out, two-run single.
Sullivan had four hits for Amherst -- two of them doubles. He drove in three runs and scored two.