Box Score BOX SCORE
RAPID REACTION WITH JUNIOR MANNY CRUZ
When and Where: May 13, 2016 – Rindge, N.H. (Pappas Field)
Score: Southern New Hampshire University 8, Pace University 2
Records: SNHU 44-5, Pace 30-21
Junior Manny Cruz (Wolcott, Conn.) knocked in a pair of runs and saved a handful more with his stellar defense as the eighth-ranked Southern New Hampshire University baseball team pushed Pace University to the brink of elimination in the Northeast-10 Championship winner's bracket semifinal Friday morning at Franklin Pierce University's Pappas Field.
SNHU, seeded second in the Northeast Division, advances to the Saturday's (4 p.m.) final needing to win just one game for the title, while Pace, the Southwest's No. 2 seed, meets the College of Saint Rose, the Southwest's No. 4, later Friday for a chance to take on the Penmen. The victor would need to beat SNHU twice for the league crown.
Southern New Hampshire collected the game's first run in the second as sophomore Matt Rabbito (Chelmsford, Mass.) sent a double to the gap in right-center that scored junior Carson Helms (Farmington, Conn.), who led off the inning by getting hit with a pitch, all the way from first base.
Pace quickly tied it in the bottom of the frame when Garrett De Lotto hit a solo shot to right off junior starter Alex Person (Foxboro, Mass.).
SNHU went back ahead with two runs in the third when graduate student Mike Mastroberti (Ramsey, N.J.) plated one with a bases-load sacrifice fly to right and junior Zach Goldstein (Merrick, N.Y.) scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
The Penmen nudged the lead to 4-1 in the fifth with a two-out rally. Following a pair of quick outs, Cruz drew a walk and Mastroberti battled through a 10-pitch at bat before extending the inning with a single to center. Helms then came through by ripping one back up the box to plate Cruz.
John Kukura made it a two-run game with a solo home run to left-center in the bottom of the sixth, but Southern New Hampshire made it 5-2 in the seventh when Goldstein drew a leadoff walk, scampered to second on a wild pitch and scored when Cruz immediately followed with a sharp single that took a tough hop off the turf past the first baseman and into right field.
SNHU widened the gap with a pair in the eighth. Rabbito was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and sophomore Taylor Olmstead (Greenwich, Conn.) entered for him as a pinch runner. Olmstead went first-to-third on an errant pick-off throw and then slide into home head first on a wild pitch that was blocked toward the first base side of the back stop. Cruz then delivered a sac fly to deep center later in the inning to stretch the advantage to 7-2.
Junior Cam Oliveira (Tewksbury, Mass.) made it an 8-2 game in the ninth with a run-producing groundout to shortstop.
Person (9-0, 2.99 ERA) allowed two runs on six hits with two strikeouts and a walk in five-and-two-thirds innings. Sophomore Mitchell Powers (Portland, Maine) earned his second save of the season with three-and-a-third shutout innings, giving up just a hit and a walk.
Cruz was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, two RBI and a run scored, while Helms (RBI) and sophomore Sean Webster (Boston, Mass.; run) were both 2-for-4. Mastroberti (walk, RBI), Goldstein (walk, two runs), Rabbito (RBI) and sophomore Andrew Lalonde (Bedford, N.H.; walk) were all 1-for-3.
Notes:
- Southern New Hampshire, which has won 30 of its last 33 and 26 of 28, is on pace for its best record ever at 44-5. The 2012 squad that advanced to the Division II College World Series in Cary, N.C., was 37-12 through its first 49 games.
- SNHU's 44th win of the season sets a new single-season record for victories, topping the 43 wins of the 2012 team.
- With his 20th career victory, Person matches the school record for wins, set by Derrick Sylvester from 2010-14.
- Over three games in the NE-10 Championship, Cruz is 4-for-8 with five walks, four RBI and four runs scored, while producing a slash line of .500/.667/.500/1.167. Helms (home run, two doubles, six RBI, run) and Mastroberti (home run, triple, five RBI, four runs) are both batting .417 (5-12).
- Mastroberti has a hit in 21 of his last 22 contests, Goldstein has hit safely in 17 of 18, and Cruz and Helms have both collected a base knock in 11 of 12. Mastroberti, Goldstein and Cruz are tied for the longest hitting streak on the team at eight contests.
Up Next:
The Penmen are back in action Saturday, May 14 (4 p.m.) when they take on the winner of Friday's Pace/Saint Rose loser's bracket semifinal in the Northeast-10 Championship final at Franklin Pierce's Pappas Field.
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