MANCHESTER N.H. – JJ Bessell struck out 10 and allowed just six hits in his complete game effort as Dowling College eliminated Southern New Hampshire University from the 2014 NCAA Division II baseball East Regional with a 4-3 victory Saturday night at Penmen Field.  The Golden Lions, the No. 5 seed, upped their mark to 36-15 and enter Sunday's championship round needing just one win in two games against No. 4 seed St. Thomas Aquinas College.  SNHU sees its season come to a close at 41-14, the second-most victories in program history.

Bessell tossed the third straight complete game for Dowling in the tournament, surrendering six hits and three runs while fanning 10 and walking three.

Dowling staked itself to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning.  A Rob Veltre double down the left field line brought home Johnathan Cruz, while a Vinny Orlando groundout to short brought in Michael Rizzitello.  The Golden Lions grabbed another run in the top of the fifth when Cruz grounded to short with runners at first and third and one away and beat out the potential double play, allowing Daniel Parisi to score.

Southern New Hampshire scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 3-2.  Mike Mastroberti (Ramsey, N.J.) and Alejandro Diaz (Old Bridge, N.J.) hit back-to-back singles, then Tyler Fortanascio (Oradell, N.J.) walked.  Bryan Toland (Wildwood, N.J.) then worked a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-1.  Diaz would make it 3-2 when Bessell uncorked a wild pitch, but the righty avoided further damage as he got a pair of flyouts to get out of the jam.

Dowling made it 4-2 in the sixth when JC Brandmaier was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, allowing Andrew Abreu to score.  Mastroberti knocked in a run in the bottom of the sixth with his double down the left field line that brought in Riley Palmer (Goffstown, N.H.), who doubled with two away.

The Penmen's best chance to tie the game came in the eighth as Brendan O'Brien (East Bridgewater, Mass.) worked a leadoff walk and stole second to reach scoring position with one out.  He would be stranded at third after moving over on a wild pitch.

Southern New Hampshire threw out three players trying to score at the plate in the game.  In the fourth, Adam Schuster tried to score from second on a two-out single by Abreu, but was thrown out by left fielder Al Stanton (Sandwich, Mass.).  In the fifth, RJ Going was gunned down at the plate by Palmer on a chopper to third, while Orlando got caught in a rundown on another ball to third in the sixth.

Mike Robert (Nashua, N.H.) started and took the loss for SNHU, allowing six hits and three runs in his four-plus innings of work.  He struck out three and walked four.  Joe McCarthy (Nashua, N.H.) went an inning and allowed one run, while Sam Fuller (Barre, Vt.) threw the final four innings and allowed one hit and struck out three.  Mastroberti led the Penmen with a pair of hits, while Abreu went 3-4 for Dowling.

SNHU was making its third straight appearance in the NCAA East Regional and is serving as tourney host for the third consecutive season.

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