May 19, 2007

Box Score

BOYERTOWN, PA - Maikel De La Rosa scored the winning run in the 10th inning as Kean University defeated the Johns Hopkins baseball team, 5-4 in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. The Blue Jays (38-11) who played the most games in school history, finished with the second most wins in school history.

Kean got on the board in the first inning as Eric Ammirata drew a one-out walk and stole second. Aaron Richard then stroked a single to center to score Ammirata with the game's first run. Hopkins answered with a pair in the top of the second inning. Senior right fielder Brett Izzo ripped a one-out triple to center field for the Blue Jays first hit of the day. Senior second baseman Ian Christie then ripped a ball up the middle to score Izzo. After Christie stole second, junior DH Tony Margve had a single to score Christie.

Kean tied the game in the bottom of the third inning with a run off a double and a single. After the Blue Jays got the first out in the fourth inning, Nick Nolan worked a walk and eventually came around to score on a balk from Blue Jay starter Joe Zaccaria. The Cougars would add another run in the inning on Kevin O'Neill's RBI single.

The score remained 4-2 in favor of Kean until the eighth inning. Junior third baseman Nate Adelman had a one out single. Adelman would come around to score as junior shortstop Jonas Fester ripped a two-run home run to left field and tied the game.

Both pitchers continued to throw well as the game was sent to extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th, Hopkins got the first out before De La Rosa reached on a fielding error in left field. Ammirata then reached on a single and the Blue Jays intentionally walked Joseph D'Andrea to load the bases and create a force out at any base. Hopkins then went to five infielders but Derek Gianakas was able to lift a sacrifice fly to center field scoring the winning run.

Zaccaria threw 9.2 strong innings for the Blue Jays. He struck out five and walked three as he falls to 7-5 on the year. Colin Feneis picked up the win for the Cougars after going all 10 innings and striking out 13.

Izzo was 2-for-4 at the plate with the triple and a run scored. Fester went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored while Christie was 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Margve went 1-for-4 with an RBI while Adelman was 1-for-4 with a run scored.

Christie, Fester and junior Brian Duddie were named to the All-Tournament Team for the Mid-Atlantic Regional.

Hopkins loses five seniors from this year's squad but return a key group next year to defend their Centennial Conference Championship.

- 30 -