UAlbany Baseball Stories




	Baseball Stories NO. 20 CREIGHTON ELIMINATES UALBANY IN NCAA BASEBALL REGIONAL’S SECOND ROUND Fayetteville , Ark. – Steve Winkleman belted his fifth home run of the season and had a career-high six RBI to lead Creighton to a 21-11 victory over UAlbany in the second round of the NCAA Baseball Championship’s Fayetteville Regional before 2,681 fans on Saturday, June 2 at Baum Stadium. The Blue Jays, ranked 20th nationally as the Missouri Valley Conference champion, advanced in the loser’s bracket. The two teams combined for 32 runs, 34 hits and 19 walks and used 13 pitchers in the four-hour-and-18-minute offensive marathon. The Great Danes, who won the America East Conference championship to earn their first-ever NCAA berth, finished with a 29-29 record. UAlbany fell to No. 11 Arkansas, 9-0, in this double-elimination regional’s first round. “This is an experience that this team will never forget and a huge step in the development of our program,” UAlbany coach Jon Mueller said. “We didn’t pitch or play good defense today. You have to give yourself a chance, especially when you are playing teams at this level. But I am not going to let what happened the last two days ruin what these guys have accomplished.” Creighton (45-15) led 3-2 after five innings, but then broke the game open with a six-run sixth. With one out, catcher Chris Gradoville tripled off the wall in the right-field corner before Darin Ruf was hit by a pitch. Winkelman then hammered a hanging curveball over the left-field fence, a three-run blast. The Blue Jays, who sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame, added a pair of homers off reliever Sean Gregory. Andrew Small hit a solo shot, his fifth of the year. Brett Mieras followed with an inside-the-park home run, when he drove a breaking pitch off the left-field padding near the 375-sign. UAlbany took a 1-0 lead in its first at-bat. Al Barbato, who scored three runs and doubled, walked on four pitches, before Leo Corvino sacrificed him to second. Steve Wyland’s infield single moved Barbato to third. Tom Hill then lined a ball off the pitcher’s heel that drove the run across. The Blue Jays, who lost to Oklahoma State , 6-4, in the opening round on Friday, tied the contest in the second when Mieras doubled with two outs. After UAlbany starter Cory Warrings issued a pair of walks to load the bases, Mieras scored on a fielders’ choice play. In the third, Warrings allowed two more walks and Mieras, a junior designated hitter who had four hits with two runs and four RBI, singled up the middle past Barbato to drive across tye go-ahead run. Creighton extended its lead to 3-1 in the fourth. Lead-off hitter Robbie Knight tied an NCAA record when he was hit by a pitch for the 33rd time this season. He later scored on Winkelman’s sacrifice fly to deep center. The Great Danes sliced that deficit in half with three consecutive singles in the fifth. Sean Donovan drove in the run by going the opposite way through the left side. UAlbany trailed 17-3 heading to the bottom of the eighth, but batted around in scoring six times. Sean Doyle delivered a RBI single before Donovan walked with the bases loaded. Mike Konstanty added a two-run double into the left-field gap. Wyland, who walked and scored in the uprising, finished with three singles and two runs. The senior third baseman finished his career ranked third on the school’s all-time hit list with 211. *************** Creighton (45-15) 011 106 354 - 21 21 3 UAlbany (29-29) 100 011 062 - 11 13 5 Zac Moore, Scott Reese (5), Casey Schmidt (6), Ty Johnston (8), Chris Marchildon (8), Bob Lackovic (8) and Chris Gradoville, Brett Mieras. Cory Warrings, Sean Gregory (4), Alexander Beaulieu (6), Chris Ott (7), Jeff Kaier (8), Casey Walsh (8), Marco Rivera (9) and Tom Hill, Sean Doyle. NO. 11 ARKANSAS BLANKS UALBANY, 9-0, IN NCAA BASEBALL REGIONAL’S FIRST ROUND Fayetteville, Ark. – Right-hander Duke Welker threw six shutout innings to lead Arkansas to a 9-0 victory over UAlbany in the first round of the NCAA Baseball Championship’s Fayetteville Regional on Friday, June 1 before 8,372 fans at Baum Stadium. The Razorbacks, ranked 11th in the national polls, advanced to meet Oklahoma State, who won 6-4 earlier in the day, in the second round. UAlbany (29-28) will face Creighton, the Missouri Valley Conference champion, in the loser’s bracket of this double-elimination regional on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Great Danes are making their first-ever NCAA appearance as the champions of the America East Conference. Arkansas (42-19) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when designated hitter Jacob Julius singled through the right side with two outs to score Logan Forsythe. However, the at bat ended when UAlbany right fielder Leo Corvino gunned down Casey Coon at the plate. After the Razorbacks had another player thrown out trying to score in the second, rain and lightning caused a 53-minute delay in the top of the third. Following the suspension of play, Julius delivered again in the bottom of the frame when he lined a 1-2 pitch into the right-field corner for a two-run double. The Razorbacks, who are in the NCAA field for the 20th time, including six straight trips, pulled away in the fourth. In the top half, UAlbany had runners on second and third following Tom Hill’s sacrifice, but Welker retired the next two batters to get out of trouble. Arkansas then chased starter John Naples, who hit a batter and gave up a walk with one out. Ben Tschepikow greeted reliever Josh Willimott with a RBI single through the box. Forsythe then belted his ninth home run of the season, when his three-run blast went off the glove of left fielder Mike Konstanty at the top of the fence. Meanwhile, Welker, a 6-foot-7, 221-pound junior, allowed just two hits in his 18th start of the season. Steve Wyland and Corvino singled in the fourth and sixth, respectively. He recorded seven strikeouts and three walks in his six innings on the hill to improve to 7-5 overall. Reliever Evan Cox threw three scoreless frames and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh, as shortstop Tim Smalling collected Corvino’s ground ball to get the force at third base to end the threat. “We were unable to make the plays when we need and got behind the eight-ball,” said UAlbany coach Jon Mueller, whose team had nine of its previous 11 outings heading into the NCAA contest. “Their pitcher did a tremendous job of turning us back when we had opportunities. The (rain) delay hurt (John) Naples . He didn’t have as good as stuff after that.” Wayne Hrozek and Jake Dugger each had two hits, including a pair of RBI singles in the fifth, for the Razorbacks, who won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) West Division and lost to top-ranked Vanderbilt in the conference championship last Sunday. ************* UAlbany (29-28) 000 000 000 - 0 3 3 #11 Arkansas (42-19) 102 420 000 - 9 11 0 John Naples, Josh Willimott (4), Jeff Kaier (6), Matthew Herrick (8) and Chris Wood. Duke Welker, Evan Cox (7) and Brian Walker, Jeff Nutt. NCAA Fayetteville Regional Tournament Schedule (All Times Eastern) Friday, June 1 Game 1 -- #3 Oklahoma State 6, #2 Creighton 4 Game 2 -- #1 Arkansas 9, #4 UAlbany 0 Saturday, June 2 Game 3 – Creighton (44-15) vs. UAlbany (29-28), 3:30 p.m. Game 4 – Oklahoma State (39-19) vs. Arkansas (42-19), 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 3 Game 5 – Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3:30 p.m. Game 6 – Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7:30 pm. Monday, June 4 Game 7 – Game 6 opponents (if necessary), 8:30 p.m. NCAA REGIONAL BASEBALL TIMES CHANGE DUE TO NATIONAL TELEVISION COVERAGE Fayetteville, Ark. – Times for the NCAA Division I Fayetteville Baseball Regional have been changed to accommodate CSTV’s national broadcast. UAlbany will meet Arkansas , ranked 11th nationally in the Baseball America and USA Today/ESPN national polls, on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Razorbacks are hosting one of 16 regionals on June 1-4. Oklahoma State and Creighton are paired in the other first-round contest at 3:30 p.m. Carter Blackburn is the play-by-play announcer for the Arkansas-UAlbany game. He will be joined in the booth by former major league player Kevin Stocker. CSTV is seen in more than 20 million homes via cable and satellite. CSTV is widely available on cable systems across the country, including Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Cablevision, Charter, Insight, Bright House Networks, Mediacom, RCN, Advanced Cable and Bresnan. CSTV is also available on DIRECTV’s Total Choice Premier Package Channel 610 and DISH Network’s America ’s Top 120 Package Channel 152. UAlbany (29-27) is making its first-ever NCAA appearance after capturing the America East Conference championship. The Great Danes, who have won eight of their last 10 outings, including three straight in America East postseason play, own the second-highest win total in school history. ************ NCAA Fayetteville Regional Tournament Schedule (All Times Eastern) Friday, June 1 Game 1 - #2 Creighton (44-14) vs. #3 Oklahoma State (38-19), 3:30 p.m. Game 2 - #1 Arkansas (41-19) vs. #4 UAlbany (29-27), 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 2 Game 3 – Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3:30 p.m. Game 4 – Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 3 Game 5 – Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 3:30 p.m. Game 6 – Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7:30 pm. Monday, June 4 Game 7 – Game 6 opponents (if necessary), 8:30 p.m. UALBANY SET TO PLAY NO. 11 ARKANSAS IN NCAA REGIONAL BASEBALL TOURNAMENT Albany, N.Y. – UAlbany will meet seventh-seeded Arkansas in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET, as the national tournament bracket was unveiled on Monday, May 28. The Razorbacks, who will host the Fayetteville Regional on June 1-4, are ranked 11th nationally in both the Baseball America and USA Today/ESPN polls with a 41-19 record. Oklahoma State (38-19) and Creighton (44-14) are also in the regional which will be played at Baum Stadium at George Cole Field, a 10,737-seat facility. UAlbany (29-27) is making its first-ever NCAA appearance after capturing the America East Conference championship with a 1-0 victory over top-seed Binghamton last Saturday. The Great Danes, who have won eight of their last 10 outings, including three straight in America East postseason play, own the second-highest win total in school history. Steve Wyland, a first-team all-conference third baseman, batted .379 with 23 extra-base hits and 44 RBI. He drove in the game’s lone run in the A-East championship game. Right-hander John Naples tied the program’s single-season record for pitching wins with an 8-2 mark and a 3.29 earned run average. “We are excited to go to Fayetteville ,” said UAlbany coach Jon Mueller, who has been the Great Danes mentor for all eight seasons at the Division I level. “I think the selection committee showed us some respect by placing us with seventh-seeded Arkansas. They must have felt that we have been playing some very good baseball after we won our conference tournament in three games." Arkansas is making its 20th NCAA appearance, plus has advanced the College World Series on five occasions. The Razorbacks are hosting the regional tournament for the fourth time, including three of the last four years. Arkansas came up just short of winning its first Southeastern Conference (SEC) title after falling to top-ranked Vanderbilt in the conference championship last weekend. Pitchers Nick Schmidt (10-3, 2.85 ERA) and Jess Todd (9-2, 2.49 ERA) each earned first-team All-SEC recognition. First baseman Danny Hamblin totaled 22 home runs and 60 RBI. Oklahoma State (#23 USA Today/ESPN) is in the NCAA field for the 35th time. The Cowboys, who have reached the CWS 19 times, finished third in the Big 12 Conference regular-season standings. Second baseman Tyler Mach (15 HR, 79 RBI), outfielder Corey Brown (19 HR, 65 RBI) and second baseman Ty Wright (.417 BA) each made the all-conference first team. Creighton (#20 Baseball American & #22 USA Today/ESPN) captured its first-ever Missouri Valley Conference championship. The Blue Jays are making their eighth NCAA appearance and reached the CWS in 1991. MVC Player of the Year Darin Ruff is hitting .377 with eight home runs and 56 RBI. Ben Mancuso, the MVC Pitcher of the Year, has a 10-2 record with a 2.28 ERA. Tickets are on sale to the general public at the Razorback Ticket Center or online at www.hogwired.com. As of last Wednesday, approximately 1,600 reserved tournament books remained. Tournament books are $70 for the regional. Individual game tickets will only be available on game day. All game day tickets, reserved and general admission/HogPen are $15 each. For more ticket information, call 1-800-982-HOGS (4647). GREAT DANES CAPTURE AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Farmingdale, N.Y. – Alexander Beaulieu recorded his tenth save of the season by striking out two batters in the ninth inning, as UAlbany captured its first-ever America East Conference championship with a 1-0 victory over Binghamton on Saturday, May 26 at Farmingdale Park. The Great Danes earned an automatic NCAA Tournament berth. Beaulieu, a junior closer, was called upon after Binghamton's Joe Charron tripled into the right-field gap with one out off reliever Sean Gregory. The right-hander struck out Pat Haughie swinging with a fastball before walking Henry Dunn. Beaulieu then sealed the verdict when he caught lead-off hitter Justin Smucker looking with a slider on the third strike to end the game. UAlbany starter Cory Warrings, who had won two of his last four regular-season starts, went 6.1 innings on the mound. He allowed three hits and struck out two to earn the championship’s most outstanding player award. Warrings, a 6-foot-4 left-hander, allowed Matt Simek’s one-out double in the sixth, but then stranded him by recording a pop out to second and ground out to third. UAlbany (29-27) scored the game’s lone run in the fifth when Leo Corvino walked with two outs and then moved to second base on a wild pitch. Steve Wyland, a member of the all-championship team, followed with a RBI single to center field. Sean Gregory, who relieved Warrings in the seventh, worked out of trouble twice. Charron walked and advance to second via a sacrifice bunt, before Gregory retired both hitters he faced in the inning. Simek, who went 2-for-3 at the plate, doubled down the right-field line with two outs in the eighth. But Gregory forced Jeff Monaco to ground out to the shortstop. “This was a hard-earned win,” said UAlbany coach Jon Mueller, whose team recovered from a four-game sweep by Binghamton in April to make the America East postseason on the last weekend of the regular season. “Our seniors never gave up after that first conference series. (Cory) Warrings got in a comfort zone and kept his pitch count down. He got us to the best bullpen we’ve had since I’ve been here. I am going to take a deep breath and enjoy this magical ride.” Jeff Dennis pitched six solid innings for the Bearcats, who dropped an 8-7 decision in the second round to UAlbany following a five-run ninth. Dennis gave up three hits, struck out eight and walked six in this pitcher’s duel that produced the first 1-0 result in conference tournament history. Reliever Greg Lane was even more effective as he threw three hitless innings. “It feels great that I came through for the team,” offered Wyland, whose bases-clearing double was the key hit in the previous night’s two-out, ninth-inning rally. “Our pitching was unbelievable today. We knew they had to play that early game, so I think we had more energy and were a little fresher (for the championship). We played with the experience of having been in the tournament before. No one was nervous.” Binghamton (28-19), the championship’s top seed after winning the regular-season title, reached the America East final earlier in the day by defeating Maine , 13-4, in an elimination game. Brendon Hitchcock, the conference’s player of the year, had three hits, including a solo homer in the first, and drove in four runs. ********** America East Conference – Championship UAlbany (29-27) 000 010 000 - 1 3 1 Binghamton (28-19) 000 000 000 - 0 6 2 Cory Warrings, Sean Gregory (7), Alexander Beaulieu (9) and Tom Hill. Jeff Dennis, Greg Lane (7) and Pat Haughie. BASEBALL RALLIES WITH FIVE-RUN NINTH TO ADVANCE IN AMERICA EAST TOURNEY PLAY Farmingdale, N.Y. – Sean Donovan’s game-winning single capped a five-run rally in the ninth inning to lead UAlbany to an 8-7 victory over Binghamton in the second round of the America East Conference Baseball Championship on Friday, May 25 at Farmingdale Park. The Great Danes advanced to the championship round on Saturday at 3:35 p.m. in this double-elimination tournament. The America East champion receives an automatic NCAA berth. The Bearcats will meet Maine , who upended second-seeded Stony Brook earlier in the day, in the loser’s bracket at 12:05 p.m. Binghamton (27-18) had put together a solid performance for the second straight game prior to the ninth inning. The Bearcats, who captured the conference’s regular-season crown to earn the No. 1 seed, built a 7-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. Matt Simek, who went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs and three RBI, helped get his club off to a good start. In the second, Kyle Klee was hit by a pitch and then worked his way to third base via a fielders’ choice and a sacrifice bunt. Klee then came across on Pat Haughie’s ground out to the shortstop. Binghamton scored three times in the third off UAlbany starter Casey Walsh. Justin Smucker and Ryan James started the uprising with back-to-back doubles. Smith delivered a run-scoring single through the left side, before Klee lined a RBI double down the left-field line. The Great Danes, who defeated Stony Brook, 5-2, in the first round, would later slice the deficit in half. Second baseman Al Barbato belted a solo homer, his third of the year, over the right-field fence in the third. First baseman Steve Sayre scored Tom Hill, who had walked to lead off the fourth, with a sacrifice fly to left field. Binghamton put together three consecutive singles in the fifth inning off reliever Josh Willimott. Simek, a first-team all-conference infielder, had the run-scoring hit in that sequence, and then smacked a solo homer in the seventh for a 6-2 advantage. Haughie scored in the seventh when he reached on a fielding error before coming across on a wild pitch. UAlbany (28-27) started its two-out rally when Mike Konstanty ripped his third home run of the spring to left. The Great Danes then loaded the bases off closer Khalid Afify, who had five wins and six saves prior to being called in from the bullpen. Steve Wyland tied the contest by drilling a 3-1 fastball into the left-field gap for a bases-clearing double. After Hill was intentionally walked, Donovan delievered a soft-liner to center field that scored Wyland with the winning run. “It’s the most remarkable game that I have been a part of,” said UAlbany coach Jon Mueller, whose team is in the America East championship final for the first time in the program’s history. “We have been playing with our backs against the wall for six weeks. I guess we just have thick skin after worrying about getting into the tournament for so long. I probably used up a few four-leaf clovers with the baseball gods after this one." Barbato, who scored three runs, and Donovan each finished with three hits for the Great Danes, who have won eight of their last 10 outings. Binghamton ’s James had two hits and scored twice. -agate- America East Conference – Second Round Binghamton (27-18) 013 010 110 - 7 8 0 UAlbany (28-27) 001 100 015 - 8 12 2 (two outs when winning run scored) Mike Van Gorder, Murphy Smith (6), Khalid Afify (9) and Pat Haughie. Casey Walsh, Josh Willimott (3), Jeff Kaier (6), Sean Gregory (8), Matthew Herrick (9) and Chris Wood. JOHN NAPLES PITCHES UALBANY TO AMERICA EAST FIRST-ROUND WIN OVER STONY BROOK Farmingdale, N.Y. – Senior right-hander John Naples went seven strong innings to pick up his eighth win of the season in leading UAlbany to a 5-2 victory over Stony Brook in the first round of the America East Conference Baseball Championship on Thursday evening at Farmingdale Park. The Great Danes will meet Binghamton, a 9-3 winner over Maine, on Friday at 7:05 p.m. in the winner’s bracket of this double-elimination tournament. Naples , who allowed just a lead-off home run in the first inning, scattered seven hits while striking out one and walking one. He worked out of trouble on three occasions in the middle frames. He benefited from an unusual play in the third when Chris Sipp hit an apparent sacrifice fly to right field, but Robert Dyer was called out on an appeal play when he left the third-base bag early. Michael Stephan then flied out to center field for the third out. In the fourth, Naples allowed back-to-back singles by Robert Leonard and Justin Echevarria to start the inning, but then retired the next three batters. Stony Brook (31-23) loaded the bases again in the fifth, but the UAlbany hurler forced Echevarria to fly out to center fielder Dave West. Naples , who improved 8-2 on the mound, equaled the program’s single-season record for pitching wins established by Steve Emmerthal and Adam Kroft in 2004. UAlbany (27-27) erased a 1-0 deficit with a three-run third inning. The Great Danes loaded the bases with one out when Chris Wood singled to right field, Leo Corvino singled off the pitcher’s foot and Steve Wyland walked. After Stony Brook pitcher Tom Koehler recorded the second out on a strikeout, shortstop Sean Donovan lined a two-run double that bounced off the turf and over the left fielder’s head. Wyland would then come across on a wild pitch. The Great Danes, the championship’s No. 3 seed, would add a pair of runs. Mike Konstanty singled and scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded in the fourth. Tom Hill, who went 2-for-5 at the plate, doubled to lead-off the seventh and then came home when Steve Sayre drilled a two-bagger off the left-field wall for his 33rd RBI of the season. “I thought Naples was a rock on the mound,” said UAlbany coach Jon Mueller, whose team has lost their previous two America East opening-round games in 2004 and 2006. “He just threw quality pitches when he was in trouble and never caught too much of the plate. This is a confident group that thinks they have a chance in this tournament.” Stony Brook’s Brian Witkowski collected three hits, including his third home run of the year, and scored a pair of runs. Koehler, who was lifted in the seventh, fell to 5-8 overall for the Seawolves, who face Maine in an elimination game on Friday. ************* America East Conference – First Round UAlbany (27-27) 003 100 100 - 5 8 1 Stony Brook (31-23) 100 000 001 - 2 8 1 FIVE UALBANY PLAYERS NAMED TO ALL-AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL SQUAD Boston, Mass. – University at Albany’s Tom Hill leads a group of five players who have been named to the 2007 America East All-Conference Baseball Team as announced by the conference at the annual postseason championship banquet on Wednesday, May 23. Hill, a senior catcher, earned first-team recognition for the second consecutive year. Joining Hill on the all-conference first team was senior third baseman Steve Wyland, sophomore outfielder Dave West and junior relief pitcher Alexander Beaulieu. Sophomore shortstop Sean Donovan was named to the all-conference second team for the second year in a row. Wyland, a second-team honoree as a junior, leads the Great Danes with a .379 average. He has recorded a team-high 67 hits and 40 RBI this season to go along with 41 runs scored, 13 doubles, four triples and five home runs. Wyland received the conference’s player of the week award on May 14. He ranks among UAlbany’s all-time leaders in five categories, plus is just the fourth player in the program’s history to record 200 hits (202) in a career. Hill, who splits time between catcher and designated hitter, is batting .322. He is second on the team with 57 hits, including a team-best 20 doubles, and has driven in 32 runs while scoring 32 times. Hill, who was named conference player of the week once this season, is third in home runs (19) and third in doubles (37) on the school’s career charts. West received his first all-conference honor after playing 37 games as the Great Danes’ primary center fielder. A safety on the UAlbany football squad, West hit for a .303 average, with 40 hits, including 10 doubles and four home runs. Beaulieu also earned his first all-conference award after leading the pitching staff with a 2.25 earned run average. Beaulieu, who made 22 appearances out of the bullpen as UAlbany’s closer, recording nine saves, the second-best single-season mark in the program’s history. Donovan finished the regular season second on the team with a .327 average off 50 hits, while also scoring 33 runs and driving in another 32. Binghamton ’s Tim Sinicki was named coach of the year after leading the Bearcats to their first regular-season title. Binghamton senior Brendan Hitchcock was named player of the year, while Maine ’s Myckie Lugbauer earned rookie of the year honors. Stony Brook’s Gary Novakowski took home the conference’s pitcher of the year hardware. ************* 2007 All-America East Conference Awards First Team: Alexander Beaulieu, UAlbany; Tom Hill, UAlbany; Dave West, UAlbany; Steve Wyland, UAlbany; Zach Groh, Binghamton; Brendan Hitchcock, Binghamton; Matt Simek, Binghamton; Justin Smucker, Binghamton; Matt McGraw, Maine; Will Delawter, UMBC; Rob Leonard, Stony Brook; Gary Novakowski, Stony Brook. Second Team: Sean Donovan, UAlbany; Khalid Afify, Binghamton; Henry Dunn, Binghamton; Ben Sobocinski, Hartford; Joel Barrett, Maine; Billy Cather, Maine; Brad Hertzler, Maine; Curt Smith, Maine; Justin Echevarria, Stony Brook; Michael Stephan, Stony Brook; Brian Witkowski, Stony Brook; Bryan Rembisz, Vermont. All-Rookie Team: Joe Charron, Binghamton; Henry Dunn, Binghamton; Greg Cinelli, Hartford; Chris Greiner, Hartford; Kevin Jackson, Maine; Myckie Lugbauer, Maine; Rob Dyer, Stony Brook; Michael Stephan, Stony Brook; Ethan Paquette, Vermont. All-Academic Team: Khalid Afify, Binghamton; Brendon Hitchcock, Binghamton; Justin Smucker, Binghamton; Bill Perry, Hartford; Matt McGraw, Maine; Greg Norton, Maine; Will Delawter, UMBC; Brian Witkowski, Stony Brook; Jim Chapman, Vermont; Will Huntington, Vermont. Rookie of the Year: Myckie Lugbauer , Maine Pitcher of the Year: Gary Novakowski, Stony Brook Player of the Year: Brendon Hitchcock, Binghamton Coach of the Year: Tim Sinicki, Binghamton UALBANY RECORDS 5-4 COMEBACK WIN OVER VERMONT IN AMERICA EAST FINALE Burlington, Vt. - Senior second baseman Al Barbato finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored to lead UAlbany to a 5-4 win over Vermont in the finale of the America East Conference series on Sunday, May 20 at Centennial Field. The Great Danes have secured a spot in the conference tournament, with final seeding to be determined on Monday. UAlbany (26-27, AE 13-11) broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning, scoring two runs in the frame. After first baseman Steve Sayre and second baseman Al Barbato recorded back-to-back singles to start the inning, left fielder Mike Konstanty doubled down the left field line to send Sayre across home plate. Centerfielder Dave West followed with an RBI single that scored Barbato to give the Great Danes a 2-0 lead. Vermont (21-29, AE 10-13) responded in the bottom half of the inning, as right fielder Nate Matusick led off with a double to right center. Jim Chapman scored Matusick with an RBI single two batters later to cut the Catamounts' deficit in half. Bryan Rembisz, who was walked by UAlbany pitcher Cory Warrings, stole third to put himself in scoring position, and tied the game after coming home on a sacrifice fly by Ethan Paquette. The Catamounts took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth, scoring back-to-back runs on an RBI single by catcher Jeff Nolet and a fielder's choice by Kyle Henry. The Great Danes responded with three runs in the top of the ninth to reclaim the lead. Pinch-runner Tom Zink scored on a wild pitch while Chris Wood and Barbato tacked on runs off an RBI single by Phil Marchese to give the Great Danes a one-run lead. Jeff Kaier picked up the win for UAlbany, after going 1.1 innings on the mound. Reliever Alexander Beaulieu recorded his ninth save of the season, getting the final two outs of the game. Nolet went 3-for-4 with one RBI for Vermont. Henry tossed a complete game for the Catamounts, striking out five and allowing just two earned runs. The America East Tournament will be held at Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale, N.Y., with Stony Brook serving as the host institution. UAlbany's seeding in the championship will be determined on Monday, after Binghamton and Maine wrap up a conference series that was pushed back due to inclement weather. *************** UAlbany (26-27, AE 13-11) 000 020 003 - 5 7 2 Vermont (21-29, AE 10-13) 000 020 020 - 4 6 1 Cory Warrings, Chris Ott (6), Jeff Kaier (8), Alexander Beaulieu (9) and Brendan Rowland, Chris Wood. Kyle Henry and Jeff Nolet. UALBANY SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER WITH VERMONT TO SECURE A-EAST TOURNAMENT BERTH Burlington, Vt. - Tom Hill went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI to lead UAlbany to an 8-2 win over Vermont in the second game of an America East Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Centennial Field. The Great Danes dropped a 2-1 decision in 10 innings to the Catamounts in the early game. With the win, UAlbany clinches a spot in the America East Tournament, to be held next week. Junior right-hander Casey Walsh went 6.2 innings in the nightcap to earn his fifth win of the season, striking out four. Reliever Alexander Beaulieu entered the game in the sixth to close out the game with the final out. UAlbany (25-27, AE 12-11) took a 6-1 lead in the fifth inning, scoring five times on just one hit taking advantage of five walks, a hit batter, a balk, a passed ball and a Vermont error as four of the runs were unearned. Third baseman Steve Wyland and first baseman Steve Sayre also finished with multiple hits for the Great Danes, as each scored a run and Sayre drove in another. In the first game of the day, UAlbany scored a run in the fifth off Vermont starter Justin Albert and was headed for its second straight win over the Catamounts before Jeff Heppner led off the seventh with his third hit of the game. Will Huntington followed with a triple to right center, scoring pinch runner Nate Matusick. Vermont's Bryan Rembisz broke the tie in the bottom of the tenth inning, after leading off with an infiled single. He advanced on a sacrifice fly by Jim Chapman, and was driven home on an RBI single up the middle by Ethan Paquette. Josh Willimott hurled six scoreless innings for UAlbany before being relieved in the seventh by Sean Gregory. Gregory tossed the final four innings and took the loss. Sayre scored the only run for the Great Danes in the game, leading off with a single and crossing home plate on an error by Vermont (21-28, AE 10-12). The two teams wrap up the series with a 5 p.m. game on Sunday afternoon. UALBANY DEFEATS VERMONT, 3-1, IN A-EAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL ACTION Burlington, Vt. - Senior right-hander John Naples went six innings, fanning four, to earn the victory, as one of three UAlbany pitchers who combined to strand 16 Vermont baserunners, as the Great Danes defeated the Catamounts, 3-1, in America East Conference action on Friday afternoon at Centennial Field. UAlbany (24-26, AE 11-10) took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning. Third baseman Steve Wyland knocked a leadoff single before catcher Tom Hill was walked. Shortstop Sean Donovan was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Great Danes. First baseman Steve Sayre recorded a sacrifice fly to centerfield, driving in Wyland. Hill later scored on an wild pitch. The Great Danes tacked on another run in the top of the eighth, as second baseman Al Barbato doubled down the left field line to score Donovan, who reached after being hit by a pitch for the second time. UAlbany's Sean Gregory struck out three in the seventh and eighth innings while Alexander Beaulieu gave up a pair of hits in the ninth before going on to earn his eighth save of the season. Wyland and left fielder Mike Konstanty each had two hits. Bryan Rembisz went seven innings on the mound for Vermont (20-27, AE 9-11) giving up four hits and two runs while striking out five. At the plate, Kyle Henry went 2-for-3 with a double and two walks while Brad Currier was 2-for-5. The teams face off in a conference doubleheader on Saturday, starting at noon. UALBANY BASEBALL FALLS TO LE MOYNE IN FINAL NON-CONFERENCE GAME Albany, N.Y. - Mike Brown went 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead Le Moyne to a 7-3 non-conference victory over UAlbany on Tuesday, May 15 at Varsity Field. The game was cut short after the seventh inning because of rain. Le Moyne (28-17) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Second baseman Matt Nandin reached on a fielder's choice and was driven home on a double by shortstop Alejandro Del Valle. Stephen Crawford followed with a double of his own in the next at bat, and crossed home on an RBI single by Brown. UAlbany (23-26) got on the board in the bottom of the third, as Steve Wyland knocked an RBI single to right field to score Brendan Rowland, who reached on an error by Le Moyne. After the Dolphins tacked on another run in the top of the fifth, UAlbany cut the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the frame. Centerfielder Phil Marchese doubled down the left field line and was driven in on an RBI single up the middle by Al Barbato. Two batters later, catcher Tom Hill knocked a double of this won to send Barbato home. Le Moyne was able to score three more runs in the top of the seventh frame, including a two-run homer over the left field fence by first baseman Ben Gaal. Marchese finished with two hits for the Great Danes. Starter Marco Rivera picked up the loss on the mound, going two innings with one strikeout. UAlbany, which wrapped up non-conference play with today's contest, will visit Vermont for a four-game America East Conference series starting on Friday. ************* Le Moyne (28-17) 030 010 3 - 7 12 2 UAlbany (23-26) 001 020 0 - 3 6 1 Adam Leduc, Michael Gedman (3), Brandon Otto (5), Luke Nellis (7) and Phil St. Amant. Marco Rivera, Chris Ott (3), Matthew Herrick (6), Sean Gregory (7) and Tom Hill. UALBANY BASEBALL TAKES SERIES FINALE FROM UMBC, 14-8 Albany, N.Y. - Steve Wyland went 4-for-4 with two home runs to lead UAlbany to a 14-8 victory over America East Conference rival UMBC on Sunday, May 13 at Varsity Field. Wyland also had one double, one triple and five RBI in the game, which took place on Senior Day. UAlbany started the game strong, as centerfielder Dave West led off with a triple in the first inning. He was driven in by right fielder Leo Corvino who followed with a double. Corvino later crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly by Wyland, for his first RBI of the game. Wyland also drove Corvino in in the third inning, as he hit his first long ball of the day to give the Great Danes a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the frame. UAlbany (23-25, AE 10-10) extended its lead with a five-run fourth inning, paced by back-to-back singles by Sean Donovan and Mike Konstanty. Donovan scored on an RBI single by Chris Wood, while Konstanty crossed on an RBI double by Al Barbato. The Great Danes got their third run of the inning as Wood scored on a wild pitch by UMBC hurler Bo Sauter. Corvino recorded a sacrifice fly to score Barbato, while Wyland hit a double to drive in West for the final run of the frame. UMBC (12-36, AE 3-17) posted two runs in the following inning, but UAlbany tacked on another run in the bottom of the frame to hold a 9-2 advantage. After allowing the Retrievers to score twice in the top of the sixth, the Great Danes recorded four runs in their half of the inning, paced by back-to-back homers by Wyland and catcher Tom Hill. Konstanty added a two-run shot of his own in the inning, giving UAlbany a 14-4 lead. The Retrievers would score three runs in the top of the seventh, and add on one more in the eighth, but reliever Sean Gregory would sit down the final three batters in order in the ninth to preserve the win for the Great Danes. UAlbany starter Cory Warrings produced five strikeouts in five innings of work to earn the win for UAlbany. Matthew Herrick tossed 1.2 innings of relief, fanning two. Sauter picked up the loss for UMBC, striking out three and allowing 10 runs off 11 hits. All nine of UAlbany's starters finished with at least one hit. First baseman Steve Gale finished with two runs scored and two RBI off two hits for UMBC. Designated hitter Will Delawter also finished with two RBI. The Great Danes will host Le Moyne in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday starting at 2 p.m. before heading to Vermont for the final regular-season conference series on Friday. *************** UMBC (12-36, Ae 3-17) 000 022 310 - 8 9 2 UAlbany (23-25, AE 10-10) 202 514 00x - 14 17 2 Bo Sauter, Rob Hendry (6), Sean Rae (7), Brian Duffy (8) and Rick Phillips, Tom Meaney. Cory Warrings, Matthew Herrick (7), Sean Gregory (8) and Tom Hill. UALBANY SWEEPS UMBC IN AMERICA EAST BASEBALL ACTION Albany, N.Y. - Casey Walsh scattered four hits in a complete-game win, leading UAlbany to a 5-1 win over UMBC in the nightcap to complete a doubleheader sweep in America East Conference baseball action on Saturday, May 12 at Varsity Field. The Great Danes held off a UMBC rally to win the first game, 7-6. Walsh struck out six in seven innings of work for UAlbany in game two. The Great Danes got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as a two-run homer by third baseman Steve Wyland gave UAlbany a 2-1 lead. The Great Danes tacked on two more runs in the fourth, as designated hitter Tom Hill led off with a home run to left field. Shortstop Sean Donovan followed with a single, and later stole second. Left fielder Mike Konstanty singled through the left side, scoring Donovan to give the Great Danes a 4-1 advantage. After UAlbany scored one final run in the sixth inning, Walsh sat down the UMBC batters in order to close out the game and give the Great Danes the sweep. In the early game, UAlbany (21-25, AE 9-10) withstood a seventh-inning rally by the Retrievers. After a four-run fourth inning put the Great Danes up 7-4, UMBC (12-35, AE 3-16) cut the lead to one with a two-run homer by Scott Peddicord. The Retrievers proceeded to load the bases, but closer Alexander Beaulieu induced a ground-out by Will Delawter to preserve the win. Centerfielder Dave West finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI, which came in the fourth on a single down the left field line. Right fielder Leo Corvino also finished with an RBI in that inning, driving in Konstanty. Right-hander Josh Willimott picked up the win for UAlbany, going 4.2 innings on the mound and allowing just one run. The teams wrap up the four-game series on Sunday with a single game starting at 1:00 p.m. The team will honor its eight graduating seniors prior to first pitch. ************ (Game One) UMBC 220 000 2 - 6 7 2 UAlbany 012 400 x - 7 11 0 Marty Zawacki, Tom Schlein (4), Isaac Friedel (6) and Tom Rinaldi. Marco Rivera, Josh Willimott (2), Alexander Beaulieu (7) and Tom Hill. (Game Two) UMBC (12-35, AE 3-16) 100 000 0 - 1 4 1 UAlbany (22-25, AE 9-10) 200 201 x - 5 6 1 Matt Bucholz, Isaac Friedel (6) and Rick Phillips. Casey Walsh and Chris Wood. UALBANY FALLS TO UMBC IN AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL ACTION Albany, N.Y. - Third baseman Mark Lemon drove a triple to right field to drive in two runs, capping off an eight-run seventh inning that led UMBC to a 10-8 win over UAlbany in America East Conference action on Friday, May 11. UAlbany (20-25, AE 7-10) held a 6-1 lead heading into the top of the frame, paced by a four-run third inning. Centerfielder Dave West led off that inning with a solo homer to centerfield, while right fielder Leo Corvino followed with a base hit. Third baseman Steve Wyland drove a triple into right to score Corvino, while Tom Hill knocked a double into centerfield to send Wyland across home plate. Hill crossed on an error by UMBC shortstop Steve Bowen to score the final run for the Great Danes. UAlbany tacked on two runs in the fourth, as Wyland hit a two-RBI single up the middle, scoring West and Corvino. UMBC (11-33, AE 3-14) ended the shutout in the sixth, as second baseman Steve Russo knocked an RBI double to right center, scoring Mike Scheffel, who reached on a double of his own to lead off the inning. Hurler John Naples induced two outs to start the seventh, before catcher Rich Phillips homered to centerfield to start the Retrievers' rally. Scheffel scored his second run of the day, as he was driven home on a double by Russo. UMBC loaded the bases, and Bowen scored on an error by UAlbany first baseman Steve Sayre. Steve Gale and Lemon combined for four runs in the next at bats, with Gale recording a two-RBI single before Lemon's triple emptied the bases. The Great Danes attempted a comeback, scoring single runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Senior hurler Bo Sauter struck out UAlbany shortstop Sean Donovan to earn the save for the Retrievers, after the Great Danes loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth. Will Delawter, who finished 3-for-5 at the plate with two runs scored and one RBI, went three innings on the mound as the starter for UMBC. Freshman right-hander Rob Hendry picked up the win for the Retrievers. Corvino led five Great Danes with multiple hits, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Wyland led UAlbany with four RBI. The teams will continue the series on Saturday, with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. ********** UMBC (11-33, AE 3-14) 000 001 801 - 10 14 1 UAlbany (20-25, AE 7-10) 004 200 011 - 8 14 1 Will Delawter, Tom Schlein (4), Sean Rae (5), Rob Hendry (7), Marty Zawacki (9), Bo Sauter (9) and Rich Phillips. John Naples, Jeff Kaier (7), Sean Gregory (7) and Chris Wood. UALBANY BASEBALL FALLS IN NON-CONFERENCE TILT WITH MANHATTAN Riverdale, N.Y. - First baseman Matt Rizzotti went 4-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBI, hitting a three-run homer in the sixth inning that gave Manhattan a 9-3 win over UAlbany in non-conference baseball action on Tuesday, May 8. The Jaspers scored the first run of the game in the second inning of an RBI double by Nunzio Franzese before posting five runs in the third. Manhattan (31-13) rattled of five straight base hits to start the inning, with Rizzotti recording a hit, one RBI and scoring a run. UAlbany (20-24) got on the scoreboard with two runs in the fourth. Senior first baseman Steve Sayre drove an extra-base hit to centerfield and was driven home on an RBI double by Mike Konstanty. Tom Zink drove in Konstanty with a double of his own before the Great Danes ended the inning with a bases loaded pop-up. Rizzotti put the game out of reach for UAlbany in the sixth, as Rene Ruiz and Kevin Nieto knocked out back-to-back singles before getting driven in with Rizotti's homer to right field. Brian Prendergast picked up the win for Manhattan, going three innings in relief with three strikeouts. Right-hander Josh Willimott got the loss for the Great Danes, fanning four in five innings of work. Zink finished with two hits and one RBI for UAlbany, while pinch hitter Dan Koegel recorded a double and scored the Great Danes' final run in the top of the ninth inning. UAlbany will host UMBC in a four-game America East Conference series starting on Friday with a single game at 3 p.m. ************** UAlbany (20-24) 000 200 001 - 3 9 3 Manhattan (31-13) 015 003 00x - 9 16 0 Josh Willimott, Hans Zlomek (6), Sean Gregory (7), Jeff Kaier (8) and Tom Hill. Zac Goyer, Brian Prendergast (5), Brian Searls (8), Tom Moran (9) and Nick Derba, Anthony Armenio. GREAT DANES FALL TO AMERICA EAST FOE HARTFORD, 3-2, IN EXTRA INNINGS West Hartford, Conn. - Outfielder Adam Bowser hit a walk-off single to lead Hartford to a 3-2 victory over UAlbany in 11 innings on Sunday, May 6 at Campus Field. With two outs in the bottom of the 11th frame, second baseman Ben Sobocinski singled up the middle. A throwing error on UAlbany third baseman Steve Wyland allowed third baseman Bill Perry to reach first safely while Sobocinski advanced to third. Bowser then drove a two-strike pitch over the head of centerfielder Dave West to score Sobocinski for the game-winning run. UAlbany scored the first run of the game in the first inning, when West, who reached on a lead-off double, scored on a sacrifice fly by Wyland. Shortstop Brady Stouffer hit a solo home run down the left field line to tie the score at one, the first of two ties in the game. UAlbany (20-23, AE 7-9) took a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth after Hartford loaded the bases with walks. Catcher Tom Hill and shortstop Sean Donovan each reached base on balls before advancing to scoring position with a passed ball. Marc Toomey entered the game for the Hawks and intentionally walked first baseman Steve Sayre. Second baseman Al Barbato then drove a line-out to the left fielder, which sent Hill home for the go-ahead run. Hartford (12-30, AE 8-11) answered in the bottom half of the inning as first baseman Chris Hebert knocked an RBI single to right field to score Bowser, who reached on a lead-off single. Toomey picked up the win for the Hawks, pitching the final four innings, while not allowing a run on three hits, and striking out two batters. Hartford was led at the plate by designated hitter Greg Cinelli, who finished 3-for-5. Bowser finished the game with two hits, one run scored and one RBI. Wyland finished 2-for-4 with an RBI while West recorded two hits for the Great Danes. Sophomore Cory Warrings went six innings with four strikeouts, while Jeff Kaier saw three innings of relief on the mound. Right-hander Sean Gregory picked up the loss for UAlbany. The Great Danes will return to action on Tuesday with a non-conference match-up at Manhattan at 3 p.m. ************** UAlbany (20-23, AE 7-9) 100 000 010 00 - 2 7 3 Hartford (12-13, AE 8-11) 000 010 010 01 - 3 8 1 Cory Warrings, Jeff Kaier (7), Sean Gregory (10) and Tom Hill. Kyle Perry, Bob Rogers (5), Marc Toomey (8) and Ryan Crowley. UALBANY SPLITS AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL DOUBLEHEADER WITH HARTFORD West Hartford, Conn. – Dave West had three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs in the nightcap to lead UAlbany to a America East Conference doubleheader split with Hartford on Saturday, May 5 at Campus Field. The Great Danes won the second game, 6-3, but dropped the opener, 3-2. The four-game series concludes on Sunday with a nine-inning game at 1:00 p.m. UAlbany (20-22, AE 7-8) plated four runs in the second contest’s third inning. West singled home Al Barbato, who led off the frame with a double into the right-field gap. Steve Wyland added a RBI single and Steve Sayre delivered a sacrifice fly to center field. The Great Danes pushed out to a 5-0 advantage in the fourth when West hammered a run-scoring double to left field. Hartford (11-30, AE 7-11) picked up three runs in the fifth. Ryan Crowley had the key hit in the inning by plating a pair of runners with a single to right center. The Great Danes added an insurance run in the seventh when Sayre scored Steve Wyland, who had two hits, with a single. Jeff Kaier registered his second save of the season by throwing two strong innings of relief. He struck out four of the seven batters he faced. The Hawks took a 3-0 lead all the way into the seventh inning of the first contest. First baseman Chris Hebert had a RBI single in the second to get his team on the board. Hartford added single runs in the third and fourth. Right fielder Erik Price scored Brady Stouffer with a sacrifice fly, before Matt O’Connell singled in the third run. The Great Danes, who won Friday’s opening game of the weekend set, mounted a rally in their last at-bat. Zac Halloran singled up the middle to chase Sayre across with the first run. Mike Konstanty then delivered a pinch-hit RBI double, but Halloran was thrown out at the plate by second baseman’s Ben Sobocinski’s relay throw to end the game. Hartford starter Pete Moraski improved to 2-3 on the mound by scattering three hits over seven innings. The left-hander, who struck out three, pitched a perfect game into the fifth inning until he issued a two-out walk to Sayre. Casey Walsh was the tough-luck loser as he allowed seven hits and recorded five strikeouts. ************* (Game 1) UAlbany 000 000 2 - 2 3 1 Hartford 011 100 x - 3 7 1 Casey Walsh and Tom Hill. Pete Moraski and Ryan Crowley. (Game 2) UAlbany (20-22, AE 7-8) 004 100 1 - 6 9 0 Hartford (11-30, AE 7-10) 000 030 0 - 3 11 1 Marco Rivera, Sean Gregory (5), Jeff Kaier (6) and Chris Wood. Chris Greiner, Chris Browne (3), Adam Flaherty (4), Zach Stefka (7) and Ryan Crowley. UALBANY RALLIES IN NINTH INNING FOR 7-3 AMERICA EAST VICTORY OVER HARTFORD West Hartford, Conn. – Steve Wyland lined a two-run double to drive in the go-ahead runs in the ninth inning in leading UAlbany to a 7-3 come-from-behind victory over Hartford in America East Conference play on Friday, May 4 at Campus Field. The four-game weekend series continues on Saturday with a 12 noon doubleheader. UAlbany (19-21, AE 6-7) reversed a 2-1 deficit with a six-run uprising in the ninth. Leo Corvino started the two-out rally with a run-scoring single that tied the contest. Wyland, a senior third baseman, then plated two runners with a double down the left-field line off reliever Ben Sobocinski for a 4-2 lead. Steve Sayre added a two-run single to center field, before catcher Chris Wood scored another run with a bases-loaded walk. The Great Danes, who have won five of their last seven outings, took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Center fielder Dave West, who went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, led off with a single and later came across when Sayre walked with the bases full for his third RBI of the day. Hartford (10-29, AE 6-10) went ahead in the eighth. Shortstop Brady Stouffer was hit by a pitch and Greg Cinelli doubled. Sobocinski chased both runners home with a triple into the right-field gap. UAlbany starter John Naples (Catholic Central) went 7.1 innings on the mound. He struck out six and walked none in the no-decision effort. Reliever Alexander Beaulieu picked up the win, while Sean Gregory retired both Hartford batters he faced to earn his second save of the season. Sayre, a first baseman, and designated hitter Tom Hill each collected two hits. Kyle Perry had a pair of doubles for the Hawks, who have dropped six of their last seven. ************* UAlbany (19-21, AE 6-7) 100 000 006 - 7 13 2 Hartford (10-29, AE 6-10) 000 000 021 - 3 9 1 John Naples, Alexander Beaulieu (8), Sean Gregory (9) and Chris Wood. Weston Szymanski, Ben Sobocinski (9), Marc Toomey (9) and Ryan Crowley. GREAT DANES FALL TO MARIST IN NON-CONFERENCE BASEBALL ACTION Albany, N.Y. - Designated hitter Justin Lepore went 3-for-4 with a home run and five RBI to lead Marist to a 17-8 win over UAlbany in non-conference baseball action on Tuesday afternoon at Varsity Field. The two teams combined for 30 hits. Marist (12-26) put the game away with a six-run seventh inning which started with back-to-back hits by infielder Kenny Anderson and Ryan Gauck. Lepore doubled down the right field line in the inning to drive in two runs and scored on an RBI double by Pat Feeney. Marist scored runs in each of the first four innings, including a solo shot by senior Travis Musolf to start the game. The Red Foxes scored three runs in the second and added two in both the third and the fourth to hold an 8-3 lead. Sophomore shortstop Sean Donovan drove solo homer over the right field fence in the bottom of the fifth and also drove an RBI double through the left side during a three-run seventh for the Great Danes. Donovan finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBI. Third baseman Steve Wyland went 4-for-5 with two runs scored for UAlbany (18-21), while catcher Tom Hill had two doubles and drove in three runs. Junior right-hander Rob Glowacki picked up the win for Marist while starter Marco Rivera took the loss. UAlbany will return to America East Conference play with a four-game series at Hartford, starting on Friday at 3 p.m. ************* Marist (12-26) 132 202 610 - 17 17 3 UAlbany (18-21) 102 010 310 - 8 13 4 Peter Barone, Rob Glowacki (2), Mike Puckli (6), Sandy Sussman (8) and Keith Glasser. Marco Rivera, Josh Willimott (3), Sean Gregory (5), Matthew Herrick (6), Chris Ott (7), Hans Zlomek (7), Jeff Kaier (8), Alexander Beaulieu (9) and Tom Hill, Sean Doyle. GREAT DANES DEFEAT MAINE, 15-5, IN AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL ACTION Albany, N.Y. - Senior first baseman Steve Sayre went 4-for-4 with two home runs, scoring three runs and driving in three more to lead UAlbany to a 15-5 America East Conference win over Maine on Sunday, April 29 at Varsity Field. After winning three games in the four game series, the Great Danes improved their record to 18-20 overall, 5-7 in the conference. Sayre hit his first homer of the day during a five-run fourth inning for UAlbany, which also included a two-run blast by second baseman Al Barbato and a solo shot by Dave West. The Great Danes tacked on another run in the inning on an RBI single by third baseman Steve Wyland, which gave UAlbany an 8-2 lead. In the next inning, Sayre added another run for the Great Danes with a solo home run to left field. UAlbany then recorded six runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning, led by four straight hits, including an RBI double by catcher Tom Hill. Sayre drew a walk during his at bat, and advanced to third on a double down the left field line by Tom Zink. A sacrifice fly by Phil Marchese scored Sayre for his third run of the day. First baseman Joel Barrett finished 2-for-4 with one RBI for Maine (14-24, AE 5-7), while third baseman Curt Smith recorded a hit, one run and three RBI with a two-run homer in the seventh. Starter Jose Mendoza picked up the loss for the Black Bears, fanning three while allowing eight earned runs in 3.2 innings of work. Sophomore lefty Cory Warrings went seven innings on the mound for the Great Danes, striking out six opposing batters. All but one starter for UAlbany finished with at least one hit. Wyland drove in three runs while West recorded two hits, two runs and two RBI. UAlbany will host non-conference opponent Marist on Tuesday afternoon before visiting Hartford for a four-game America East Conference series over the weekend. ************* Maine (14-24, AE 5-7) 110 000 201 - 5 7 0 UAlbany (18-20, AE 5-7) 012 516 00x - 15 16 3 Jose Mendoza, Will Carroll (4), Ryan Forrest (6), Mitch Clegg (8) and Matt McGraw. Cory Warrings, Matthew Herrick (8), Jeff Kaier (9) and Tom Hill, Sean Doyle. UALBANY BASEBALL SPLITS AN AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE DOUBLEHEADER WITH MAINE** Albany, N.Y. - Senior first baseman Steve Sayre knocked a two-run homer to