Box Score

RINDGE, N.H. – Friday afternoon's elimination game between the No. 13 ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team and Adelphi University featured 17 runs, 23 hits and four lead changes as the Owls rallied in the seventh inning to end any hopes of a Panther's run in the Northeast-10 Championships. Southern scored a run in every other inning and were led by the NE-10 Freshman of the Year, Michael Cleary's (West Boylston, Mass.) game winning single in the bottom of the seventh.

The win keeps Southern alive in the tournament as they improve to 35-10-1. Adelphi drops out of the NE-10 Championships and falls to 29-19 on the season. If four teams remain after six games, the Owls will face the loser of the Franklin Pierce/Stonehill contest. If there are five teams left after today, Southern will get the winner of the Merrimack/New Haven match-up.

The Panthers got on the board early. With Robert Eysel on second base and one out remaining, Chris Weidlein hit a dinger over the left field wall to put Adelphi ahead, 2-0.

First Team All-Conference slugger Ryan Geffert (Plymouth, Pa.) retaliated with a home run of his own to the same spot in left field. His home run marked the 14th of the season as he cut the deficit to one after an inning of play.

The Owls offense tallied three runs in the bottom of the third. With one out in the inning, Kyle Rosadino (Berwyn, Pa.) singled to right field and advanced to third when Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) doubled to deep center field. On a 3-2 count, Geffert took ball four to reach first and load the bases for #A.J. Rouleau# (West Boylston, Mass.). A wild pitch by Robert Nixon brought Rosadino to home, followed by a RBI bloop single to short left field by Rouleau to drive in the go-ahead run and advanced Geffert to third. Designated hitter Eric Schlitter (Guilford, Conn.) then stepped to the plate and hit a fielder's choice to third base, as Geffert crossed home plate to give Southern a two-run lead, 4-2.

Southern added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. DeProspo and Geffert got the bats going with back-to-back singles, putting DeProspo at third. Schlitter would reach first after a wild pitch strikeout to load the bases for Jordan Hockenberry (Colchester, Conn.). With just one out left, the right fielder hit a double to increase Southern's lead by four.

After four scoreless innings, Adelphi got back on the board with a two-run homer by Justin Farnum to right field as the Panthers found themselves down two after six and a half innings of play.

Adelphi came back in the top of the seventh to record a four-run inning and take a two-run lead. Justin Ciamillo opened the inning with a bases loaded single, which brought in two of the team's four runs as they took an 8-6 lead.

However, Adelphi's run was cut short by an Owls rally in the bottom half of the inning. Geffert sliced a double to left field to start the rally and later advanced to third on a balk by the Adelphi pitcher. Rouleau followed that up with a RBI single to center field but was later thrown out on a fielder's choice. With a runner on first, Hockenberry stepped to the plate with one out in the inning and hit a double to left field, driving in the tying run. He also advanced to third on the play on an error by the left fielder. This led to the game winning run as Cleary kept the rally going with a two out single to right field, putting Southern back ahead and eventually taking the game, 9-8.

Michael Johnston (Thomaston, Conn.) entered the game in the top of the seventh and ended the Panthers four-run rally. He did not allow a hit or run in two and two-third innings pitched to record the win and improve to 4-1 on the season.

Geffert led the team offensively. He was 3-for-3 from the plate with a two-run homer, four runs scored, a double and two walks. Rosadino also recorded three hits, going 3-for-5 with a run scored. DeProspo and Hockenberry both went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Hockenberry added three RBI. Rounding out the top offensive performers was Rouleau who went 2-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored.

The Owls return to Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Today's contests will determine their next opponent.