SALEM, 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. 10 Johns Hopkins University, 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.
2008 NCAA Division III South Region All-Tournament
Team
Rob Pietrofrte - OF - Johns Hopkins
Ryan Litz - C - Lynchburg
Will Evans - SS - Salisbury
Andrew Miller - C - Salisbury
John Duke - DH - Piedmont
Matt Benchner - 1B - Johns Hopkins
Brian Youchak - RF - Johns Hopkins
Todd Emr - 3B - Johns Hopkins
Jon Crews - 1B - Lynchburg
Jonathan Nichols - P - Lynchburg
Ryan Bennick - P - Salisbury
