Sporting News CT – SNCTTV

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – After a season that included a school record 45 victories and a trip to the national semifinals, the Southern Connecticut State University baseball team finished the year ranked No. 1 in the final National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association East Region poll.

The Owls won the Northeast-10 Conference regular season title for the second year in a row and made their second trip in program history to the College World Series. Along the way, they knocked off No. 1 nationally ranked Grand Valley State and No. 11 nationally ranked Sonoma State to reach the national semifinals. Southern Connecticut finished the season with an overall mark of 45-9-1.

CARY, N.C. – Five different players registered multiple hits, but the No. 8 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team was defeated by No. 16 nationally ranked Winona State on Thursday evening, 7-5. The Owls had the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the ninth but couldn’t connect. With the loss, the season concludes for the Owls with a 45-9-1 record.

Winona State (42-17) advances to Saturday’s championship game against West Florida.

It was a contrast for the Owls, who had to come-from-behind to win its last two games in the College World Series. On this night, Southern Connecticut jumped out with four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 4-0 lead.

Kyle Cummings (Hamden, Conn.) singled to start the inning and move to second base one out later on a single by Kyle Rosadino (Berwyn, Pa.). Ryan Geffert (Plymouth, Pa.) followed with another single that loaded the bases. A.J. Rouleau (Westborough, Mass.) then singled up the middle to drive in two runs. Bryan Dorsey (Cheshire, Conn.) followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0 before T.K. Kiernan (Wallingford, Conn.) singled home Rouleau to make it 4-0.

However, Winona State scored four times in the top of the second to even the score. Three of those runs were unearned.

Southern Connecticut regained the lead with a run in the third. Rouleau, Dorsey and Michael Cleary (West Boylston, Mass.) all singled to load the bases with two outs. T.J. Shea (Hamden, Conn.) then bounded a ball to shortstop to allowed Rouleau to score.

Winona State countered with three runs in the fifth inning, all of which came with two outs, to take a 7-5 lead.

From there, the Owls had the tying run at the plate in the sixth and eighth inning, and a pair of hit batsmen in the ninth put the winning run at the plate.

Rouleau, Rosadino, Kiernan, Cleary and Shea all finished with two hits apiece for the Owls.

CARY, N.C. – Senior pitcher Steve Simon (Middlefield, Conn.) worked into the eighth inning and freshman designated hitter T..J. Shea (Hamden, Conn.) had two hits, including a three-run home run, three RBI and two runs scored as the Southern Connecticut State University baseball team rallied from an early deficit to defeat No. 11 nationally ranked Sonoma State on Wednesday evening, 6-4.

The Owls improved to 45-8-1 on the year with the win and will play Winona State in another must-win game on Thursday night at 7 p.m. Sonoma State’s season ended at 37-22 with the loss.

Sonoma State struck first with three runs in its first at-bat. The Owls put two runners on in the bottom of the first but were unable to score.

Southern Connecticut tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the second. Bryan Dorsey (Cheshire, Conn.) walked to lead off the frame and one out later, Michael Cleary (West Boylston, Mass.) singled to put two runners on. Shea followed with his second home run of the year, a no-doubter over the right field wall that evened the score at 3-3.

The Owls took the lead with a run in the third. A.J. Rouleau (Westborough, Mass.) doubled down the right field line to start the inning. After a sacrifice bunt by Cleary, T.K. Kiernan (Wallingford, Conn.) executed a perfectly placed suicide squeeze in which all Owls were safe on the play and gave the Owls their first lead of the night.

Southern Connecticut added another run in the bottom of the sixth. Shea doubled halfway up the right field wall to begin the threat. Kyle Cummings (Hamden, Conn.) moved Shea to third with a sacrifice bunt before Shea scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3.

The Owls added another run in the seventh. Dorsey singled to open the inning and moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt by Kiernan. Cleary followed with a ground ball, but when the throw went awry, he reached safely and Dorsey scored all the way from second.

Simon, who gave up three runs on two hits in the first inning, allowed only one run on six hits as he worked into the eighth inning. After meriting consecutive singles to open the frame, Michael Johnston (Thomaston, Conn.) entered in relief. He induced a double-play grounder that did score a run before forcing a flyout to end the inning. He then retired the side in order in the ninth.

Simon improved to 7-1 with the win, while Johnston notched his 16th save of the year with the win.

Rouleau, Cleary and Shea all had multiple hits in the winning effort.

CARY, N.C. – Junior shortstop Kyle Cummings (Hamden, Conn.) had three hits, drove in three runs and scored a run to lead a 14-hit attack as the No. 8 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team notched an 8-6 win over against No. 1 nationally ranked Grand Valley State on Tuesday afternoon. The Owls improved to 44-8-1 on the year with the win and will play either Sonoma State or West Florida in another elimination game on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.

The loss ends the season for Grand Valley State with a 52-5 record. The victory was the first in four tries in College World Series action all-time for the Owls, who were edged by GVSU in 2005, 3-2.

Both teams had runners on base in the first inning but couldn’t take the lead. The Owls then put together a scoring threat in the top of the second but were unable to score. Bryan Dorsey (Cheshire, Conn.), T.K. Kiernan (Wallingford, Conn.) and Michael Cleary (West Boylston, Mass.) strung together three straight singles to load the bases with one out. However, the Owls were unable to score.

Grand Valley also threatened in the bottom half, putting runners at second and third with one out courtesy of a pair of walks. However, Owls’ hurler Chris Zbin (Colchester, Conn.) struck out back-to-back batters to end the threat.

The Lakers pushed across three runs in the third, all of the unearned variety

Southern Connecticut answered with four runs of its own in the top of the fourth. Ryan Geffert (Plymouth, Pa.) doubled to lead off the inning. A.J. Rouleau (Westborough, Mass.) followed with a walk before Dorsey singled to drive in Geffert and move Rouleau to third. A RBI single by Kiernan made it 3-2 before Kyle Cummings (Hamden, Conn.) capped the frame with a two-run single that gave the Owls a 4-3 lead.

The Lakers added another unearned run in the fourth to even the score at 4-4. Southern Connecticut loaded the bases in the top of the fifth but couldn’t score.

The Owls regained the lead with three runs in the top of the sixth, keyed by a go-ahead RBI single by Kyle Rosadino (Berwyn, Pa.) and a two-run single by Rouleau down the right field line to push their lead to 7-4.

However, GVSU scored twice in the bottom of the frame to close within a run once again.

The Southern Connecticut bullpen held the Lakers off the board in the final three innings. Zbin went 3.2 innings without allowing an earned run before turning the ball over to Ryan Yerina (Trumbull, Conn.). Yerina allowed two runs over 2.1 innings of work but notched the win to improve to 3-1 on the year.

A.J. Turnier (Waterford, Conn.) threw a scoreless seventh and recorded the first two outs in the eighth before issuing back-to-back walks. Michael Johnston (Thomaston, Conn.) escaped the jam in the eighth with a strikeout and worked around an error in the bottom of the ninth to tally his 15th save of the season.

Rosadino, Geffert, Dorsey, Cleary and Kiernan all had two hits apiece for the Owls in the winning effort.

CARY, N.C. – Junior outfielder Bryan Dorsey (Cheshire, Conn.) tallied a pair of hits, but the No. 8 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team dropped a 13-0 decision to No. 1 nationally ranked West Florida on Sunday evening at the College World Series. The Owls will now face No. 2 nationally ranked Grand Valley State in an elimination game on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

The rankings utilized are from the final National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll of the regular season.

The game was scoreless through the first three frames, but UWF scored twice in the fourth on four singles off Owls’ starter Kevin Pettine (Somerset, Mass.).

West Florida tacked on three more in the fifth, four in the seventh and four more times in the eighth.

The Owls loaded the bases in the ninth, including singles from Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) and Ryan Geffert (Plymouth, Pa.), but were unable to score.

The No. 8 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team are headed to the College World Series for the second time in school history this weekend. Listen to the interviews with the key middle infielders and head coach Tim Shea.

The Owls leave Thursday for the College World Series in Cary, NC.

The Owls last traveled to a NCAA College World Series in 2005. The only New England to to make an appearance in the national championship game was University of New Haven in 1980. The Owls have a fine pitching staff with a team ERA at the top of the nations leader board.

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Congratulations to the SCSU Baseball team. They are on there way to the 2011 D2 College World Series.

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RINDGE, N.H. – A pair of third inning solo home runs from from Kyle Cummings (Hamden, Conn.) and Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) combined with a complete game six-hitter from senior pitcher Kevin Pettine (Somerset, Mass.) proved to be the recipe for success for the No. 8 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team, who doubled up Adelphi, 2-1, to clinch a spot in the College World Series for the second time in school history.

The Owls also reached the CWS in 2005. To do so this time around, they had to win three games in less than 24 hours. Pettine, going on just two days rest, scattered six hits over nine innings to improve to 10-0. He earned Most Outstanding Player honors of the regional after going 2-0 and allowing just one earned run over 17 innings of work in Rindge.

Southern Connecticut improves to 43-7-1 with the win. Adelphi drops to 36-14-2.

Adelphi scored a run in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead. However, the Owls answered with back-to-back home runs from Cummings and DeProspo in the top of the third to take a 2-1 lead. Both long balls were nearly identical shots down the left field line.

From there, Pettine kept the Panthers off the scoreboard. The Owls had chances to extend their lead, and the Panthers brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth, but Pettine got a lineout to end the game.

DeProspo, Geffert, T.K. Kiernan (Wallingford, Conn.), Michael Cleary (West Boylston, Mass.), Kyle Rosadino (Berwyn, Pa.) and Pettine were named to the Regional All-Tournament Team.

The Owls will now wait for their first round opponent in the College World Series next weekend, which will also follow a double-elimination format.

Owls Stave Off Elimination, Force Winner-Take-All Game Against Adelphi

Earlier in the Day

RINDGE, N.H. – Thanks to an eight inning, three-hit effort from Chris Zbin (Colchester, Conn.) and a 14-hit attack, the No. 8 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team downed Adelphi, 9-1, to force a winner-take-all contest later this afternoon. The Owls actually trailed 1-0 but scored three times in the fourth, five times in the seventh and once in the eighth to capture the victory.

Southern Connecticut improves to 42-7-1 with the win. Adelphi drops to 36-13-2.

Michael Cleary (West Boylston, Mass.) went 4-for-5 to lead the offensive attack. Seven of the nine Owls’ starters had a hit in the win.

Adelphi pushed a run across in the third, but the Owls took the lead for good with three runs in the fourth. Kyle Rosadino (Berwyn, Pa.) was hit by a pitch to open the frame before Ryan Geffert (Plymouth, Pa.) singled to put runners at the corners. A.J. Rouleau (Westborough, Mass.) tied the game with a RBI single. Later in the frame, T.K. Kiernan (Wallingford, Conn.) pushed another run across with a fielders’ choice before Cleary laid down a perfect suicide squeeze that went for a bunt single.

The issue was still in doubt until the Owls blew the game wide open with five runs in the seventh.

Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) singled to start the rally. One out later, Geffert smacked a grounder to first that was dropped by the shortstop in an effort to turn the double play. A groundout by Rouleau moved the runners up 90 feet before Bryan Dorsey (Cheshire, Conn.) laced a two-run single that extended the Owls’ lead to 5-1. Kiernan and Cleary would add run-scoring hits later in the frame.

The Owls added one more run in the eighth to make it a 9-1 final.

Zbin, seeing his first action in more than a week, was masterful in improving to 10-2 on the year. A.J. Turnier (Waterford, Conn.) worked a scoreless ninth.

Game two is set for approximately 3:15 p.m.

Hurlers Propel Baseball Squad To 3-0 Win Over Franklin Pierce - Gamed Played Saturday Night

RINDGE, N.H. – Ryan Yerina (Trumbull, Conn.) and Michael Johnston (Thomaston, Conn.) combined on a six-hit shutout to lead the No. 8 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team to a 3-0 win over No. 15 nationally ranked Franklin Pierce on Saturday night in a NCAA Tournament elimination game. Yerina, making his longest start of the year, threw five scoreless innings before turning it over to Johnston, who fanned four in a career-long four innings to notch his 14th save of the season. The Owls move on to the championship round on Sunday, where they must defeat Adelphi twice in order to reach the College World Series.

Southern Connecticut is now 41-7-1 on the year, while Franklin Pierce’s season comes to a close at 40-14.

The Owls broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the top of the sixth. With one out, Kyle Cummings (Hamden, Conn.) reached on an infield single. Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) then followed with a single through the left side that put two runners on.

Kyle Rosadino (Berwyn, Pa.) and Ryan Geffert (Plymouth, Pa.) then connected for RBI singles that allowed Southern Connecticut to jump out to a 2-0 edge.

Southern Connecticut added a run in the ninth. Bryan Dorsey (Cheshire, Conn.) singled to start the rally. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by T.K. Kiernan (Wallingford, Conn.) and came in to score when Michael Cleary (West Boylston, Mass.) reached on an error.

Owls Fall To Adelphi, 7-1; Back In Action Tonight At 7 p.m.

Adelphi tacked on a run in the top of the ninth to make it a 7-1 final. Game Played Saturday Afternoon

RINDGE, N.H. – Senior outfielder Kyle Rosadino (Berwyn, Pa.) tallied a pair of hits, but the No. 8 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team lost a 7-1 decision to Adelphi in a NCAA Tournament East Region winners’ bracket game. The Owls will now play either UMass-Lowell or Franklin Pierce tonight at 7 p.m. and must win to extend their season for at least one more day.

Southern Connecticut is now 40-7-1 on the year, while Adelphi moves to 36-12-2.

The game was scoreless through two innings, but the Panthers struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Adelphi added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings and two more in the sixth to extend its cushion to 6-0.

The Owls pushed a run across in the bottom of the eighth. Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) reached on an error to lead off the inning. Ryan Geffert (Plymouth, Pa.) doubled down the left field line to put two runners on before A.J. Rouleau (Westborough, Mass.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bryan Dorsey (Cheshire, Conn.) walked to plate DeProspo with the Owls’ first run.

RINDGE, N.H. (May 20, 2011) – Sophomore center fielder Mike Cleary went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks, drove in three runs and scored once on Friday night to lead fourth-seeded and No. 8/20 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State to a 9-2 win over the second-seeded and No. 15/25 Franklin Pierce University baseball team on the second day of the NCAA Championship East Regional, hosted by Franklin Pierce University at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field. Franklin Pierce pitching walked 13 batters in the game, while the lineup left 11 men on base, including seven in scoring position.

With the loss, Franklin Pierce falls to 39-13 and will play an elimination game at 3 p.m. Saturday against fifth-seeded Massachusetts Lowell. The Ravens are now forced to win four games in a row to complete their defense of last year’s regional title. With the win, Southern Connecticut State improves to 40-6-1 and will play top-seeded Adelphi at 11 a.m. Saturday.

SCSU opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, freshman second baseman T.K. Kiernan started things when he legged out an infield single on a ball that Franklin Pierce junior second baseman Dan Hennigan (Downingtown, Pa.) ran down behind the bag at second. Kiernan moved to second on a single through the left side by Cleary and both runners scored when junior designated hitter Matt Pessy went the other way and dumped a double inside the right-field line.

The Owls added two more in the bottom of the fifth inning to double the lead to 4-0. Senior catcher Nick DeProspo led off the frame with a walk and moved to second on a single through the right side by senior left fielder Kyle Rosadino. DeProspo scored when junior first baseman Ryan Geffert followed with an RBI single to left that also pushed Rosadino to second. After a sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third and an intentional walk loaded the bases, Kiernan singled to left to drive home Rosadino.

SCSU broke things open with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 7-0 game, thanks in large part to a lack of command by Franklin Pierce pitching. Three different Ravens pitchers combined to issue five walks (one intentional), and each of the three runs in the inning scored via walks with the bases loaded.

Franklin Pierce got on the board with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the seventh. Sophomore shortstop Dan Kemp (Sturbridge, Mass.) singled and later scored while Hennigan reached on an error. Meanwhile, junior pinch hitter Isaac Wenrich (Westlawn, Pa.) reached on a fielder’s choice and later scored on an RBI single by senior designated hitter Derek Ingui (Sterling, Mass.).

SCSU created the 9-2 final with two runs on an eighth-inning single by Cleary.

Junior left-hander Gregg Downing (Queens, N.Y.) started and took the loss (9-2) on the mound for Franklin Pierce. He lasted just 3.1 innings, allowed two runs on three hits, walked four and struck out one. He was fortunate to avoid more damage, as he departed with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth before sophomore right-hander Joe Flynn (Plymouth, Mass.) worked out of the jam.

In addition to the nine runs, SCSU left the bases loaded three times and stranded 13 men on base over their eight offensive innings.

Sophomore left-hander Steve Landell started and picked up the win (6-1) for Southern Connecticut State. Over seven innings, he allowed two unearned runs on seven hits, walked three and struck out four.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics’ official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics).

RINDGE, N.H. – The No. 8 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University Owls defeats Wilmington (Del.) today, 2-1 in the first round of the NCAA East Regional.  The Owls stranded runners in scoring position in the first, second and third innings. Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) was thrown out at home in the third inning on a single to left by Ryan Geffert (Plymouth, Pa.). The Owls broke through in the eighth inning with two runs on a RBI single by Kyle Rosadino (Berwyn, Pa.) and a sacrifice flyout by A.J. Rouleau (Westborough, Mass.).

Kevin Pettine (Somerset, Mass.) started for the Owls giving up no runs, on four hits, two walks and struck out three batters through eight innings of work. Closer, Michael Johnston (Thomaston, Conn.) came in for the ninth inning and gave up one run. DeProspo led the club going 2-for-3 with two doubles in the game. T.K. Kiernan (Wallingford, Conn.) also collected two hits on the day. Both Rosadino and Rouleau each collected a RBI.

Southern improves to 39-6-1 on the season. The Owls next game will be tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. where they will play against second seed, Franklin Pierce.

Video of a SCSU scoring run - Kyle Rosadino RBI single

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Three members of the No. 8 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team – senior outfielder Kyle Rosadino (Berwyn, Pa.), junior pitcher Chris Zbin (Colchester, Conn.) and junior first baseman Ryan Geffert (Plymouth, Pa.) – have been selected as All-Region performers by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Rosadino was named to the First-Team, while Zbin and Geffert were Second-Team picks.

Rosadino, a First-Team All-Northeast-10 Conference selection, leads the Owls with a .353 batting average, a .464 on-base percentage and 40 runs scored. He has also driven in 36 runs and walked 31 times, which ranks second on the club in both categories.

Zbin, who was previously selected as a semifinalist for the Tino Martinez Award, given annually to the top collegiate Division II player in the nation, and a First-Team All-Conference pick, has been nearly flawless this year for the Owls. Thus far, he has posted a 9-2 mark with a 1.31 earned run average and one save, along with three complete games. Zbin’s nine wins are tied for the best single-season mark in SCSU history, while his 105 strikeouts to date are the second-highest total.

Geffert, also an All-Conference honoree, has provided punch from the middle of the Owls’ lineup. He leads the club with 47 RBI and is also tied for the team-lead with six homeruns. He also ranks tops on the squad in doubles (17), slugging percentage (.545) and walks (38).

The Owls (38-6-1 overall) claimed the Northeast-10 regular season title for the second year in a row and have matched the school record for single-season victories. They return to action on Thursday night at 7 p.m. against Wilmington (Del.) in a first round NCAA Tournament contest.