FISHKILL, N.Y. (May 6, 2007) – Third-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology is one win away from its second-ever Skyline Conference Baseball Championship after knocking off top-seeded Manhattanville College, 4-3, in Sunday's first game at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, N.Y. The Ducks (20-19) and Valiants (22-17) will meet for the fifth time this season in the seventh and deciding game of the tournament at 3:30 p.m.
Tied at 3-3 in the top of the seventh inning, Stevens put the first two runners on as freshman Mark Rasulo was hit by a pitch and sophomore Joe Gunshor walked. At that point, sophomore Tim Quinn (Holbrook, N.Y.) came on to relieve junior Danny Alvarez (
Port Chester, N.Y. ). With one out and runners at the corners, senior Ryan Birkenstock hit into a fielder's choice to score Rasulo. Birkenstock narrowly beat the throw to first by junior Thomas Verrengia (
Staten Island, N.Y. ) to avoid the double play.
Leading by one run, Stevens turned to junior Scott Picerno, who pitched a complete-game in the Ducks' first-round win over
Centenary
College on Thursday. Picerno came out of the bullpen in the seventh and allowed just one hit over the final three frames to record his first save of the season.
Junior Chris Burgess picked up the win to improve to 1-2 overall. Burgess did not allow a hit in 2.1 innings of work in relief of senior Jim Waterman.
Alvarez took the loss as he surrendered four runs and four hits over six innings. He uncharacteristically walked six batters in the game after issuing just 10 free passes all season. Quinn gave up one hit over the final three innings.
Trailing 1-0 in the second, Stevens pushed across two runs. Junior John Frustaci plated one with an RBI double to right-center. The Ducks scored another on a ground out by sophomore Dan Silva.
With Stevens on top 3-1 in the fourth, Manhattanville scored two runs on a clutch two-out double to left-center by sophomore Jay Gonzalez (
Teaneck, N.J. ). That hit tied the game at 3-all.
Senior Adam Sandt went 1-for-3 with a double for the Ducks. Frustaci had two hits, one RBI and one run scored. Silva added a double and two RBIs.
