HOBOKEN, N.J. (March 29, 2006) – Vassar College scored three unearned runs thanks to three errors by the 14th-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team en route to a 3-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon at Dobbelaar Baseball Field in Hoboken, N.J. The loss snapped the Ducks’ win streak at 13 straight games as they fell to 14-3 on the year. The Brewers picked up their first win of the season to improve to 1-9 overall.
With two outs in the top of the fourth inning, Vassar scored a pair of runs on a bizarre play that featured two throwing errors by the Ducks. With senior third baseman Ivan Cedillo (El Paso, Texas) at third and junior shortstop Marc Ramos (Rochester, N.Y.) at first, Ramos broke for second base. Sophomore catcher David Katusa’s (Somerset, N.Y.) throw skipped into center field – allowing Cedillo to trot home with the first run of the game. Ramos advanced to third on the play. After sliding in safely, Ramos raced home as senior outfielder Tim Meehan’s (Hawthorne, N.J.) throw struck the runner and caromed away from junior pitcher/infielder Ryan Birkenstock (Smithville, N.J.).
In the bottom half of the frame, Stevens pushed across a run on an RBI single by junior infielder Andrew Tesoriero (East Brunswick, N.J.). Sophomore infielder John Frustaci (Franklin Lakes, N.J.), who led off the inning with a triple to right-center, scored on the hit by Tesoriero.
The Ducks tied the game in the fifth as Katusa reached on a throwing error by Cedillo. After stealing second, Katusa advanced to third on a ground out. He scored on Meehan’s one-out single to left-center.
The Brewers scored the eventual game-winning run in the seventh as senior first baseman Sean Handy (Westfield, Mass.) greeted junior pitcher/outfielder Jim Waterman (South Harrison Township, N.J.) with a double down the right-field line. With one out and Handy at third, senior outfielder Paul Noonan (Middlebury, Conn.) hit a grounder to third that Birkenstock was unable to field cleanly. Handy scored on the error.
The Ducks’ potent offense was stifled over the final four innings of the game. Following a leadoff single by Birkenstock in the sixth, Vassar pitchers retired the final 12 batters for Stevens in order.
Senior pitcher Robert Muller (Melville, N.Y.) picked up the win with two innings of scoreless relief. Sophomore pitcher/outfielder Dan Orme (Cambridge, Mass.) earned the save with two hitless innings of work. Junior second baseman John Mandel (Fort Lauderdale, N.Y.) was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles for the Brewers.
Meehan led the Ducks with three hits, including a double. He also had one RBI in the game. Tesoriero added two hits and an RBI. Junior pitcher/infielder Adam Sandt (Allentown, Pa.) has now hit safely in all 17 games for Stevens this year. Sandt’s hitting streak, which dates back to last year, stands at 23 games overall.
Stevens will be back in action on Saturday when it hosts Skyline Conference rival St. Joseph’s College in a doubleheader beginning at noon.
