Andrews Caps Off Baseball's Thrilling Comeback Win Against Old Westbury With Walk-Off Single

5/12/2010 12:00:00 AM

HOBOKEN, N.J. (May 12, 2010) – Senior Anthony Andrews capped off a thrilling come-from-behind victory in the opening round of the 2010 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro Tournament with a walk-off single to center, as the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team defeated SUNY Old Westbury, 6-5, at Dobbelaar Baseball Field in Hoboken, N.J. With the win the Ducks improved to 21-18 on the season, while the Panthers wrapped up the year with a 22-22 overall mark.

Both starting pitchers looked sharp early with the duo combining to retire 12 of the game's first 13 batters. Stevens' ace Joe Finora got junior Jason Kondra (East Syracuse, N.Y.) to fly out to right before striking out fellow Panther junior Melvin Simmons (Bronx, N.Y.) in the top of the first. The Mattituck, N.Y. native then got Giovanni Jimenez (Brentwood, N.Y.) to line out to cap off a 1-2-3 inning, but Old Westbury senior counterpart Bobby Hugli (New Hyde Park, N.Y.) responded by retiring the Ducks' in order.

Finora would allow the game's first hit in the top half of the second on Ali Ferreiras'(Bronx, N.Y.) infield single, but junior catcher Denis Ackermann would catch the Bronx, N.Y. native stealing to end the inning. The Panthers again threatened in the top half of the third, putting two aboard with nobody out before Finora popped up freshman Joel Santos (Brooklyn, N.Y.) on a bunt attempt to put one away. He then induced an inning ending 4-6-3 double play to preserve the scoreless tie. Hugli kept pace however, retiring the Ducks in order for his third-consecutive inning.

Simmons and Jimenez laced back-to-back singles to lead off the fourth before a fielder's choice put runners on the corners with one out. A Josef Schaetzle (Bellmore, N.Y.) ground-out scored Simmons before a Ferreiras infield single again put runners on first and third. Ferreiras later got caught in a run down to end the inning – but not before the Panthers plated a second run to go up 2-0.

Stevens quickly responded in the bottom half of the stanza, plating three runs on two hits. Sophomore Tom Phillips kicked things off with a double to center before Ackermann drew a one-out walk to put two aboard. Junior Russ Grimes then blasted his 10th homer of the season to put the Ducks on top 3-2.

With two out in the fifth, Santos drew a walk before stealing second. Kondra then reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners before stealing second and advancing to third on a Ducks' error – that also scored Santos. Old Westbury again plated a run with two outs in the sixth on Ferreiras' double to left center to take a 4-3 edge.

Still down 4-3 in the eighth, Stevens put two aboard on a Corey Linden infield single and a Mike Pagliaro hit-by-pitch. Both runners would advance to second and third on a passed ball, but Panthers' sophomore reliever James Huber (North Babylon, N.Y.) got a line-out to second to end the Stevens' threat.

Ferreiras helped the Panthers tack on an insurance run in the top of the ninth, reaching on an error before stealing second and advancing to third on an errant throw. Junior Anthony Fernandez (Bethpage, N.Y.) then lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Ferreiras, but Finora battled back, striking out the next two Old Westbury batters to help keep the Panther lead at two heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Rasulo led-things off in the Ducks' final frame, ripping a single to left before advancing to second on a failed pickoff attempt. The Irvington, N.Y. native then advanced to third on an Ackermann ground ball before scoring on a Grimes' single to right – cutting the deficit to one.

Meerendonk later drew a walk to put two runners on for sophomore T.J. Alcorn who pushed a base-hit to center to load the bases. Linden would tie the game with a sacrifice fly to deep center scoring Grimes, before Andrews laced a walk-off single to center, plating Meerendonk to cap off Stevens' thrilling comeback win.

Grimes went 2-for-3 with a homerun and three RBI, while Linden finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Rasulo put forth a 2-for-5 outing with a run scored, while Phillips, Meerendonk, Alcorn, and Andrews each recorded a hit in the win.

Ferreiras led Old Westbury with three hits, while Jimenez and Fernandez each collected two hits.

Finora went all nine in his seventh win of the season, allowing five runs on 11 hits, while striking out four. Hugli lasted six and two thirds, surrendering three runs on five hits, while Huber allowed three runs and five hits in the loss.

With the win, Stevens advances to the semifinal round of the ECAC Metro Tournament scheduled for Saturday, May 15.
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