Box Score

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Ryan Yerina (Trumbull, Conn.) pitched a complete game gem on Friday afternoon at historic Yale Field as the No. 14 ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team defeated cross-town rival New Haven in game two action of the NCAA Baseball Division II East Regional by the score of 4-1. Yerina allowed just one run on six hits while striking out a season-high eight batters en route to his sixth win of the season.

The No. 1 seeded Owls improve to 37-11-1 and will face the winner of game three between the second seeded Ravens of Franklin Pierce and the fourth seeded Skyhawks of Stonehill. New Haven is now 31-14 and has been eliminated from the tournament.

The Owls opened the game in the bottom of the second. After three consecutive walks, the Northeast-10 Freshman of the Year, Michael Cleary (West Boylston, Mass.), hit a bloop single to short field. An error by New Haven's right fielder allowed Cleary to reach third as the bases cleared. Greg Malen (Stamford, Conn.) then stepped to the plate and drove Cleary home with a sacrifice fly to right field as Southern claimed a 4-1 lead after two innings played.

New Haven cut the deficit to three in the top of the third. Jordan Kershaw led off the inning with a double and later rounded home for New Haven's first run of the tournament on a RBI single by Tom Rombilus.

The four-run second inning was all Southern needed as they claimed a 4-1 victory to advance to the day three winner's bracket.

Offensively, the Owls connected for just two hits but Cleary's two RBI single was all Southern needed to clinch its 37th win of the season, their most during head coach Tim Shea's tenure at the program. Friday's win eclipsed the Owls win total from 2008 when the squad finished the season 36-19.

Cleary and Bryan Dorsey (Cheshire, Conn.) were responsible for the Owls only hits as they went 1-3 and 1-2 respectively, both scoring a run as well.

Yerina recorded the win as he improves to 6-2 on the season with a 2.00 ERA, a team-low among starters. He walked just one batter and struck out eight.

Alex Smith was awarded the loss as he falls to 6-4. He threw just two innings and allowed four runs (two unearned).

The Owls return to the field Saturday, May 15 and will face either No. 22 Franklin Pierce or Stonehill. Game time is scheduled for 11 a.m.