Box Score VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
MANCHESTER N.H. – Senior Al Stanton (Sandwich, Mass.) went 2-4 with three runs batted in, including a two-run double in the fifth that broke a 3-3 tie, as No. 20 Southern New Hampshire University closed out the regular season with a 5-3 Northeast-10 baseball victory over Stonehill College Sunday night at Penmen Field. The win improves the Penmen to 35-12 and 20-7 in the NE-10, while the Skyhawks close out the regular season 28-18 and 17-10 in the league.
The win, coupled with Bentley University's 8-7 loss to Assumption College Sunday, assures the Penmen the No. 1 seed out of the Northeast Division and a share of the divisional regular season title, as SNHU finished with a 15-6 record in the division. Franklin Pierce University sits 14-6 and is scheduled to play Bentley on Monday, however, even with a win, the Penmen hold the tiebreaker by winning the season series with the Ravens 2-1.
SNHU will host a Northeast-10 Championship first round game on Wednesday against either Stonehill or Bentley, depending on tomorrow's result. A Bentley win will setup a rematch with the Skyhawks, while an FPU win sends the Falcons to Manchester. Should the Penmen win that game, they would host the four-team, double-elimination portion of the championship May 9-11.
Stanton and Brendan O'Brien (East Bridgewater, Mass.) each had two hits, while Riley Palmer (Goffstown, N.H.) had the other two RBI for the Penmen as he staked the hosts to a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run home run to right, his eighth of the season. O'Brien also notched his 46th stolen base of the season without getting caught, and dating back to last season, O'Brien has swiped 55 bags in a row without getting caught. That ties him for second in NCAA Division II history with Dennis Leftwich of Longwood, who stole 55 straight in 1983 and 1984. The Division II record is 60, set by David Shelton of North Alabama from 1994-95.
Tim Viehoff (Derry, N.H.) improved to 4-2 on the mound, striking out 10 in seven innings while allowing six hits and three runs (one earned). Benjamin Criscuolo (Branford, Conn.) worked two perfect innings and struck out for for his 12th save of the season.
After Palmer staked SNHU to an early lead, the Skyhawks would twice tie the game. In the top of the third, Stonehill took advantage of a pair of an error and two wild pitches to tie the game. The Penmen reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the frame as Anthony Aceto (North Providence, R.I.) worked a leadoff walk and Stanton brought him in with a double to the gap in left center. Stonehill tied the game in the top of the fourth as Dan Fratus led off with a home run to right.
In the bottom of the fifth, O'Brien singled with two away. After stealing second, Manny Cruz (Wolcott, Conn.) walked to bring up Stanton. Stanton pulled a ball that dropped just inside the left field line that was kicked away by sliding Skyhawk left fielder Brian Campbell, allowing O'Brien and Cruz to score.
Anthony Pagano led Stonehill with a pair of hits, while Charlie DeFrancesco took the loss for the Skyhawks, allowing five hits and five runs in his six innings of work. He fanned six.
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