2007 ECAC Division III Upstate Baseball Championship
No. 1 SUNY-Oneonta (26-11)
No. 2 St. John Fisher (21-10)
No. 3 Rochester Institute of Technology (21-10)
No. 4 SUNY-Oswego (14-11)

Game Schedule:
Friday, May 11:
Game 1: RIT 2, St. John Fisher 9
Game 2: SUNY-Oswego 2, SUNY-Oneonta 0

Saturday, May 12:
Game 3: RIT 4,  SUNY - Oneonta 8
Game 4: St. John Fisher 12, SUNY - Oswego 4
Game 5: Oswego 3, Oneonta 6

Sunday, May 13:
Game 6: St. John Fisher 3, SUNY-Oneonta 4
Game 7: St. John Fisher 3, SUNY-Oneonta 2

ONEONTA STATE ADVANCES TO ECAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Bats come alive in two wins to keep hopes alive of ECAC title tomorrow

The Oneonta State baseball team staved off elimination twice today and put themselves in the championship game of the ECAC Div. III Upstate New York Tournament tomorrow against St. John Fisher beginning at 11:00 a.m. The Red Dragons (28-12) defeated RIT this morning 8-4 before defeating Oswego this afternoon 6-3 behind strong pitching and defense while getting some timely hits in today's second game.

In today's second game against Oswego (15-14), the Lakers held a 3-0 lead entering the bottom of the fifth inning before Oneonta finally broke through with four runs, all with two outs.  The clutch hit for the Red Dragons came off the bat of sophomore Ryan Myers (Clifton Park, NY/Christian Brothers), who hit a three-run homer to left field that gave Oneonta a 4-3 lead.  Myers would drive in another run in Oneonta's two-run seventh and finish the game with four runs batted in.  All of Oneonta's runs in the game today came with two outs.

The four runs in the fifth inning for Oneonta snapped a 14-inning scoreless streak against Oswego that dated back to the second game of the conference doubleheader in mid-April.

Oswego's runs came in the second and fourth innings of the game.

Oswego's big hit in the second inning was a two-out, two-run home run by junior Steve Guckemus that drove in sophomore Zach Owen, who had hit a two-out single to keep the inning alive for the Lakers.  Oswego's run in the
fourth inning also came with two outs on a single up the middle by senior Nick Marzullo.

Today's come-from-behind win gave senior Mike Myrdycz (Hudson, NY/Hudson) his fifth win of the season.  Myrdycz, who hit six batters in the game, allowed six hits, three runs, two earned, and struck out four batters.

Sophomore Patrick Connors (Valatie, NY/Ichabod Crane) came in to relieve Myrdycz in the sixth inning and closed the door with 3-1/3 innings of one-hit ball to pick up his third save of the season.

Oswego's loss wasted a 15-strikeout performance by junior Adam Harendza, who went the distance in today's game allowing only six hits and two earned runs.

ST. JOHN FISHER DEFEATS OSWEGO

Cardinals advance to championship game of ECAC Upstate Tournament

St. John Fisher junior Chad King (Plainsville, NY) had three hits to lead a 14-hit attack today as the Cardinals defeated Oswego 12-4 in the winners bracket of the ECAC Div. III Upstate New York tournament at Oneonta State College.  The win advances St. John Fisher (25-10) into the championship game while pushing Oswego (15-13) into an elimination game against host Oneonta.

Oswego got out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second thanks to a one-out RBI double to left field by junior Steve Guckemus.

St. John Fisher began its assault with three runs in the bottom of the inning with all runs scoring with two outs.  The rally began with a runner on first for the Cardinals and freshman Kevin Wing (Webster, NY) drawing a walk.  He was followed by a single off the bat of classmate John Quartironi (Williamsville, NY) that drove in the inning's first run.  After a hit batsman loaded the bases, senior Chris Botsford (Baldwinsville, NY) hit a sharp single to drive in a pair of runs and give the Cardinals a 3-1 lead.

St. John Fisher added to its lead with single runs in both the third and fourth innings.  The run in the third was driven in by senior Mike Palermo (Rochester, NY) on a sacrifice fly.  The run for the Cardinals in the fourth came when King hit a two-out RBI single.

St. John Fisher carried a 5-2 lead into the home half of the seventh before exploding for seven runs to put the game out of reach for the Lakers.  The first two runs came from a two-run homer to left field by senior Matt Bennage (Rochester, NY).  The final five runs all came with two outs three of which were unearned after an error by the Oswego center fielder with the bases loaded.

Freshman Andy Van Slyke (Rome, NY), who entered the game in relief of King in the third inning, pitched the rest of the way to pick up his third win of the season.  Van Slyke went seven innings allowing five hits, three runs, all unearned, with one strikeout.

ONEONTA STATE DEFEATS RIT 8-4

Red Dragons eliminate Tigers from ECAC Upstate Tournament

Oneonta State senior Don Lawrence (Norwich, NY/Norwich) closed out RIT with three effective innings of relief in helping the Red Dragons defeat the Tigers 8-4 in the first of two elimination games today in the ECAC Div. III Upstate New York tournament hosted by Oneonta.  With the victory, Oneonta (27-12) eliminates RIT (24-12) from the tournament while moving to the second elimination game later today against the loser of the St. John Fisher/Oswego game.

Oneonta jumped scored five runs in the first two innings to give starter Erik Weber (Bainbridge, NY/BG) some early breathing room.  Weber pitched six strong innings before giving way to Lawrence in the seventh after a leadoff single.  Weber allowed six hits, three runs, one earned, while striking out four batters.

Oneonta scored one run in the bottom of the first inning aided by a failed pickoff attempt that allowed sophomore Brian Holmes (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills) to advance to third base after leading off the game with a walk.  Holmes scored two batters later when senior Brandon Galutz (Cortland, NY/Cortland) doubled to left center.

In the second inning Oneonta scored its four runs on four hits with the big hit coming off the bat of junior Nick Martino (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane), who hit a one-out double down the left field line that drove in a pair.  Galutz followed Martino with a single that drove in the final run of the inning.

RIT scored single runs in the third, sixth, seventh and ninth innings.  The closest they got to Oneonta was 5-2 before the Red Dragons added a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth on the strength of a two-run blast over the 400' mark in centerfield by senior Dave Paquette (Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford).

Senior Brian Lindenau (Tuscon, AZ), sophomore Anthony Culotta (Rochester, NY) and freshman Geoff Dornes (Landsville, NY) each collected two hits for RIT.  Dornes had an RBI single in the ninth while Culotta scored once each in the third and seventh innings.

Galutz finished the game with three hits and a pair of RBI's while Martino and senior Jake Wasielewski (Barnevald, NY/Holland Patent) each had two hits in the game.

ST. JOHN FISHER DEFEATS RIT

Cardinals advance into winners bracket of ECAC Upstate Tournament

Junior Ryan Hanson (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley) pitched eight strong innings striking out six batters in leading St. John Fisher to a 9-2 victory today against RIT in the opening game of the 2007 ECAC Div. III Upstate New York tournament at Oneonta State College.  The win for the Cardinals advanced them into the winners game tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. against the winner of the Oneonta State/Oswego winner.  RIT will play an elimination game tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m.

St. John Fisher (24-10) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a couple of RBI singles by seniors Chris Botsford (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) and Ricky Palmiero (Rochester, NY/Bishop Kearney).

The Cardinals added a pair of unearned runs in the third inning to open up a 4-0 lead.  Junior Chad King (Plainsville, NY/C.W. Baker) reached on an error to start the inning and went to second on an infield single by freshman Marc Montesano (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford).  Palmiero then executed the sacrifice bunt to move the two runners into scoring position with one out.

A wild pitch by RIT starter Dylan Rees (Wampsville, NY/Oneida) then threw a wild pitch that allowed King to score and Montesano to move up to third base.  Junior Dave Roth (Rochester, NY/Churchville-Chili) then hit a sacrifice fly to right field that drove in Montesano with the second and final run of the inning.

The game was still 4-0 until the home half of the seventh inning when St. John Fisher broke the game open with four runs.  The Cardinals took advantage of two miscues in the field by RIT that led to one unearned run in the inning.

Two runs in the inning were driven in by a single down the left field line by freshman John Quartironi (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville East).

RIT scored its only runs of the game in the top of the eighth.  Freshman Geoff Dornes (Landsville, PA/Hempfield) and senior Andy Scroger (Rochester, NY/Spencerport) led off the inning with singles.  The Tigers loaded the bases with two outs and then got a single down the left field line that drove in Dornes and Scroger.

St. John Fisher added one more run in the bottom of the eighth for the final of 9-2.  Hanson allowed only four hits and the two earned runs in raising his season record to 5-3.

Rees went the distance allowing 14 hits and nine runs, six earned, while recording three strikeouts.

OSWEGO HOLDS DOWN ONEONTA STATE 2-0

Red Dragons' offense stymied in loss to Lakers

Senior Nate DeSantis kept Oneonta State hitters off balance all day in leading his Oswego Lakers to an opening round win in the 2007 ECAC Div. III Upstate New York tournament hosted by Oneonta.  Oswego (15-12) advances into
the winners bracket tomorrow with a game against St. John Fisher, who earlier in the day defeated RIT 9-2.  Oneonta (26-12) will now try to stave off elimination with its game against RIT at 10:00 a.m.

The double elimination tournament will narrow its field to two tomorrow with a second elimination game scheduled for 4:00 p.m., which will see the loser of the Oswego/St. John Fisher game play the winner of the Oneonta/RIT
game.  The championship game is scheduled for Sunday at 11:00 a.m. with a second game scheduled for 2:00 p.m. if necessary.

Oswego gave DeSantis his two runs in the top of the first inning.  Junior Brett Shaffer got things started with a leadoff single and then was advanced to second on a sacrifice by senior Nick Perioli.  The next two hitters singled including an RBI single by senior Tom Farrell, which knocked in Shaffer.  

Senior Nick Marzullo, who reached on a single, and who went to second on Farrell's single, advanced to third on a single to left field by junior Justin White and scored on an error by the left fielder on White's single.

Oswego's defense gave DeSantis some help in the second inning when Oneonta got back-to-back singles from senior Dave Paquette (Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford) and freshman Dan Randall (Salem, NY/Salem) to start
the inning.  Paquette was then picked off second by catcher Dan Pecora for the first out before DeSantis puched out the next two batters.

The only other threat for the Red Dragons was in the fourth inning when they got its only runner in the game to third base with two outs.  Junior Anthony Suhadolnik (Windsor, NY/Windsor) then hit a shot that was headed
down the right field line, but was snagged out of the air by White, who was playing first base for Oswego.

DeSantis finished the game allowing six hits and striking out seven in the complete-game shutout.

Oneonta starter, Tom Locke (Oxford, NY/Oxford), was equal to the task today after he got through the first inning.  He threw 7-1/3 strong innings allowing only seven hits and one earned run while striking out three.