BRISTOL, R.I. – Junior Mark Mozelak’s (New Hartford, Conn.) two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning gave Mass. Maritime a 5-4 lead, while sophomore David Hike’s (Riverview, Fla.) six innings of shutout relief pitching helped propel the Buccaneers to a 6-4 win over the Wentworth Institute of Technology baseball team in a semifinal round game of the 2008 ECAC Division III New England Baseball Tournament played at Roger Williams.
The third-seeded Buccaneers wasted little time getting on the board as senior Robert Weber (Norwell, Mass.) led off by depositing a home run, his second of the season, over the fence in left-center field. After a fly out senior Alex Foley (Andover, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, and, with two outs, went to third on a double to left by Mozelak. However, both runners were stranded in scoring position when Wentworth freshman starter Matt Jordan (Northfield, N.H.) induced a popup to end the inning.
Wentworth, the tournament’s second seed, tied the game in its half of the first inning as sophomore Doug Papuga (Branford, Conn.) led off with a single to right. Two batters later junior Nick Cunningham (Pembroke, Mass.) was hit by a pitch to place runners on first and second. Both runners moved up 90 feet, and, with two outs, sophomore Chris Carbone (Goshen, Conn.) walked to load the bases. Junior Phil Costello (Medford, Mass.) singled through the right side to score Papuga, but Cunningham was thrown out at the plate to end the inning and leave the game tied at 1-all.
Cunningham led off the third inning with a single to left—his school record 53rd hit of the season—and moved to second on a passed ball. After a ground out, Cunningham moved 90 feet closer to scoring on the second passed ball of the inning and came home on an RBI single by Chris Carbone. An infield single by Costello moved Chris Carbone to second and two batters later senior Gerald Marquis (Marlborough, Conn.) delivered an RBI double to left, scoring Chris Carbone and moving Costello to third. Costello would score and Marquis would go to third on a wild pitch, giving the Leopards a 4-1 advantage.
Mass. Maritime cut the lead to 4-3 in the sixth inning, taking advantage of two Wentworth errors to score two unearned runs. Senior A.J. Garstrang (Southington, Conn.) led off with a bunt single and moved to second when Mozelak singled to left. Freshman Will Rodriguez (Lowell, Mass.) laid down a sacrifice bunt on a 2-2 count, but the attempt to get Garstrang at third failed, giving the Buccaneers the bases loaded with no outs. Senior Gabe Stallions (Onset, Mass.) would reach on a fielder’s choice that saw Garstrang score on an error. Sophomore Joe Albano (Agawam, Mass.) would follow with another fielder’s choice, with Stallions being safe at second on an error and Mozelak scoring the second run of the inning. Rodriguez would be out at the plate when freshman Nick Levitre (Grafton, Mass.) reached on a fielder’s choice and Jordan would get a double play to end the inning.
The Leopards’ fielding woes continued in the seventh inning when senior Anthony Barrett (Bridgewater, Mass.) reached on a fielding error. Foley laid down a bunt that moved Barrett to second. Jordan got a popup to record what should have been the third out of the inning, if the leadoff error hadn’t occurred. One batter later, Mozelak hit his sixth home run of the season, giving Mass. Maritime a 5-4 lead. An inning later Stallions led off with a single up the middle and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Albano. A fielding error—Wentworth’s fourth of the game—allowed Levitre to reach first and moved freshman Greg Wiggin (Marshfield, Mass.), who came on as a pinch runner for Stallions, to third. Weber followed with an RBI single in the infield, plating Wiggin and providing an insurance run.
In the eighth inning, the Leopards got a two-out single from senior Jarrett Ament (Boylston, Mass.), but he would be forced out at second to end the inning. The Buccaneers got a leadoff walk in the ninth from Foley, who advanced two third when Garstang reached on a two-base error. Junior Matt Chymbor (Meriden, Conn.), who had come on in the eighth in relief of Jordan, was able to get Foley out at the plate on a failed squeeze play that saw Garstang go to third. A strikeout ended the inning and sent Wentworth to the plate with its season hanging on the line. Hike would set the side down in order to end the game.
Hike allowed just two hits and struck out five batters in six innings of relief work to improve to 5-4 on the season. He set down 12 batters in a row at one point before giving up the eighth inning single to Ament. He had come on in relief of senior Billy Martin (Virginia Beach, Va.), who allowed four runs on eight hits in three innings of work. At the plate, Mozelak was 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Weber drove in two runs.
Jordan ended his freshman season with a 5-3 mark after pitching 7.1 innings in which he allowed six runs (one earned) on seven hits, and struck out five. Over the final 1.2 innings, Chymbor walked one and struck out one. Cunningham, Costello, and Ament each had two hits for the Leopards.
The win improves the Buccaneers to 22-13 and advances Mass. Maritime to Sunday’s championship game against top-seeded Roger Williams (33-12). The Hawks knocked off fourth-seeded Brandeis, 7-1, in the first game of the day. Wentworth sees the best season in the 23-year existence of the program come to an end with a 30-14 record. The Leopards set or tied 22 school records as a team this past season.
2008 Wentworth Leopards
#2 Mass. Maritime vs #3 Wentworth
05/10/08 at Bristol, R.I. (Sal Paolino Field)
Mass. Maritime 6 (22-13)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Bob Weber 3b............. 4 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 2
Anthony Barrett 2b....... 5 1 1 0 0 0 4 0 1
Alex Foley 1b............ 1 0 0 0 1 1 8 1 1
A.J. Garstang rf......... 5 1 1 0 0 0 2 1 0
Mark Mozelak ss.......... 5 2 3 2 0 1 0 8 2
Will Rodriguez c......... 4 0 0 0 0 2 8 1 3
Gabe Stallions dh........ 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
Greg Wiggin pr.......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Joe Albano cf............ 3 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 0
Tyler Spofford lf........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Nick Levitre ph/lf...... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Billy Martin p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
David Hike p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Totals................... 35 6 7 5 1 6 27 13 9
Wentworth 4 (30-14)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Doug Papuga rf........... 5 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0
Mike Roberts cf.......... 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
Nick Cunningham dh....... 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
Anthony Carbone 2b....... 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1
Chris Carbone 1b......... 3 1 1 1 1 0 14 1 0
Phil Costello lf......... 4 1 2 1 0 2 0 0 0
Jarrett Ament ss......... 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0
Gerald Marquis c......... 4 0 1 1 0 1 7 1 1
Jake McManus 3b.......... 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 6 1
Matt Jordan p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Matt Chymbor p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Totals................... 36 4 10 3 1 7 27 14 7
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Mass. Maritime...... 100 002 210 - 6 7 0
Wentworth........... 103 000 000 - 4 10 5
-------------------------------------------
E - Carbone, A. 3(9); Ament(17); Marquis(5). DP - Leopards 1. LOB -
Buccaneers 9; Leopards 7. 2B - Mozelak(12); Cunningham(14); Marquis(3). HR -
Weber(2); Mozelak(6). HBP - Weber; Foley 2; Cunningham. SH - Foley(2);
Rodriguez(2); Albano(4). CS - Foley(3).
Mass. Maritime IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------
Billy Martin........ 3.0 8 4 4 1 2 16 18 63
David Hike.......... 6.0 2 0 0 0 5 20 20 62
Wentworth IP H R ER BB SO AB BF NP
--------------------------------------------------
Matt Jordan......... 7.1 7 6 1 0 5 29 35 104
Matt Chymbor........ 1.2 0 0 0 1 1 6 7 24
Win - Hike (5-4). Loss - Jordan (5-3). Save - None.
WP - Martin 2(8). HBP - by Jordan (Foley); by Martin (Cunningham); by Jordan
(Foley); by Jordan (Weber). PB - Rodriguez 2(4). Inherited runners/scored:
Chymbor 1/1. Pitches/strikes: Martin 63/35; Hike 62/44; Jordan 104/73; Chymbor
24/13.
Umpires - HP: Mike Fata 1B: Matt Gaitane 3B: Vin Zibelli
Start: 3:54 pm Time: 2:07 Attendance: 115
Weather: PSunny, 63 degrees; Wind N-13
Game notes:
2008 ECAC Division III New England Baseball Tournament, Semifinal Round
Game: WIT44
2008 Wentworth Leopards
#2 Mass. Maritime vs #3 Wentworth - Play-by-Play
05/10/08 at Bristol, R.I. (Sal Paolino Field)
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Mass. Maritime...... 100 002 210 - 6 7 0
Wentworth........... 103 000 000 - 4 10 5
-------------------------------------------
Mass. Maritime starters: 14/3b Weber; 3/2b Barrett; 8/1b Foley; 31/rf Garstang;
17/ss Mozelak; 36/c Rodriguez; 22/dh Stallions; 12/cf Albano; 26/lf Spofford;
27/p Martin;
Wentworth starters: 10/rf Papuga; 20/cf Roberts; 8/dh Cunningham; 17/2b
Carbone, A.; 18/1b Carbone, C.; 45/lf Costello; 14/ss Ament; 6/c Marquis; 11/3b
McManus; 47/p Jordan;
Mass. Maritime 1st - Weber homered to left center, RBI (1-1). Barrett
flied out to cf (1-0). Foley hit by pitch (1-0). Garstang flied out to 2b
(0-0). Mozelak doubled to left field (1-0); Foley advanced to third. Rodriguez
popped up to 1b (2-2). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Wentworth 1st - Papuga singled to right field (3-1). Roberts flied out
to cf (1-0). Cunningham hit by pitch (2-2); Papuga advanced to second.
Cunningham advanced to second on a wild pitch; Papuga advanced to third on a
wild pitch. Carbone, A. struck out swinging (3-2). Carbone, C. walked (3-0).
Costello singled through the right side, RBI (0-1); Carbone, C. advanced to
second; Cunningham out at third rf to c; Papuga scored. 1 run, 2 hits, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
Mass. Maritime 2nd - Stallions grounded out to 3b (0-0). Albano grounded
out to 2b (1-2). Spofford popped up to 1b (0-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Wentworth 2nd - Ament singled to pitcher (1-1). Marquis reached on a
fielder's choice (0-0); Ament out at second p to 2b. McManus singled to center
field (1-0); Marquis advanced to second. Papuga struck out swinging (1-2).
Roberts reached on a fielder's choice (1-0); McManus out at second 2b
unassisted. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Mass. Maritime 3rd - Weber grounded out to 3b (0-0). Barrett singled to
right field (1-2). Foley hit by pitch (2-2); Barrett advanced to second.
Garstang flied out to rf (2-2). Mozelak struck out swinging (0-2). 0 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Wentworth 3rd - Cunningham singled to left field (3-2). Cunningham
advanced to second on a passed ball. Carbone, A. grounded out to ss (3-2).
Cunningham advanced to third on a passed ball. Carbone, C. singled to right
field, RBI (1-1); Cunningham scored. Costello singled to third base (1-0);
Carbone, C. advanced to second. Ament flied out to rf (1-2). Marquis doubled to
left field, RBI (0-0); Costello advanced to third; Carbone, C. scored. Marquis
advanced to third on a wild pitch; Costello scored on a wild pitch. McManus
flied out to cf (2-2). 3 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Mass. Maritime 4th - Rodriguez struck out looking (0-2). Stallions
struck out looking (2-2). Albano struck out swinging (2-2). 0 runs, 0 hits,
0 errors, 0 LOB.
Wentworth 4th - Hike to p for Martin. Papuga struck out looking (1-2).
Roberts flied out to rf (1-1). Cunningham doubled to left field (0-0). Carbone,
A. grounded out to ss (3-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Mass. Maritime 5th - Spofford flied out to rf (0-0). Weber hit by pitch
(3-0). Barrett grounded out to ss (3-2); Weber advanced to second. Foley struck
out swinging, out at first c to 1b (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Wentworth 5th - Carbone, C. out at first p to ss to 1b (0-1). Costello
struck out swinging (2-2). Ament popped up to 2b (1-1). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Mass. Maritime 6th - Garstang singled to catcher, bunt (0-0). Mozelak
singled to left field (1-1); Garstang advanced to second. Rodriguez reached on
a fielder's choice, SAC, bunt (2-2); Mozelak advanced to second; Garstang
advanced to third. Stallions reached on a fielder's choice (0-1); Rodriguez
advanced to second; Mozelak advanced to third; Garstang scored on a muffed
throw by c, assist by 3b, unearned. Albano reached on a fielder's choice, RBI
(0-0); Stallions advanced to second on a throwing error by 2b; Rodriguez
advanced to third; Mozelak scored, unearned. Levitre pinch hit for Spofford.
Levitre reached on a fielder's choice (1-0); Albano advanced to second;
Stallions advanced to third; Rodriguez out at home 1b to c. Weber grounded into
double play 3b to 1b (2-2); Stallions out on the play. 2 runs, 2 hits, 2
errors, 2 LOB.
Wentworth 6th - Levitre to lf. Marquis struck out swinging (1-2).
McManus grounded out to ss (0-1). Papuga grounded out to ss (1-0). 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Mass. Maritime 7th - Barrett reached on a fielding error by ss (0-2).
Foley grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt (0-0); Barrett advanced to second. Garstang
popped up to 3b (0-0). Mozelak homered to left field, 2 RBI, unearned (0-0);
Barrett scored, unearned. Rodriguez fouled out to 1b (1-2). 2 runs, 1 hit, 1
error, 0 LOB.
Wentworth 7th - Roberts grounded out to c, bunt (0-0). Cunningham flied
out to cf (1-2). Carbone, A. out at first 1b to p (1-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Mass. Maritime 8th - Stallions singled up the middle (1-1). Albano
grounded out to p, SAC, bunt (0-0); Stallions advanced to second. Chymbor to p
for Jordan. Wiggin pinch ran for Stallions. Levitre reached on a fielding error
by 2b (1-1); Wiggin advanced to third. Weber grounded out to 2b, RBI (1-0);
Levitre advanced to second; Wiggin scored, unearned. Barrett grounded out to ss
(2-1). 1 run, 1 hit, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Wentworth 8th - Carbone, C. flied out to lf (1-2). Costello struck out
swinging (1-2). Ament singled through the left side (1-1). Marquis reached on a
fielder's choice (2-1); Ament out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.
Mass. Maritime 9th - Foley walked (3-1). Garstang reached on a throwing
error by 2b, advanced to second (0-2); Foley advanced to third. Mozelak
grounded out to 3b (0-0). Garstang advanced to third; Foley out at home p to c,
caught stealing. Rodriguez struck out swinging (3-2). 0 runs, 0 hits, 1
error, 1 LOB.
Wentworth 9th - McManus struck out looking (1-2). Papuga grounded out to
ss (0-1). Roberts grounded out to ss (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.