Hoboken, N.J. – The College of Mount Saint Vincent Baseball team had its 2009 season come to an end on Wednesday night with a heartbreaking 4-3 loss at Stevens in 10 innings in the opening round of the

Pope, Blackford record two hits each for the Dolphins

ECAC Metro Division Tournament. Anthony Mongelli (Flushing, N.Y.) worked 6.0 strong innings for the fifth seeded Dolphins, while Joe Blackford (Stewartsville, N.J.) and Mike Pope (Massapequa, N.Y.) each collected a pair of base hits.

The visiting Dolphins opened a 3-0 lead on fourth seeded Stevens with a single run in the second and two more in the fifth. The Mount manufactured a run in the second after Blackford and John McManus (Bayside, N.Y.) opened the frame with singles. After a sacrifice bunt from Anthony Masullo (Howard Beach, N.Y.) advanced the runners, Mount Saint Vincent took a 1-0 advantage on an RBI groundout from Ryan Hollborn (Islip Terrace, N.Y.).

Mount Saint Vincent extended its lead to 3-0 in the top half of the fifth inning collecting a pair of runs on four hits. With two outs and no one on base the Dolphins strung together four straight hits to plate their two runs. Mike Ruckdaschel (East Meadow, N.Y.) drove in James Labartino (Holbrook, N.Y.) with the Mount's third straight single of the inning and then Blackford followed with a run scoring double to close out the scoring for the Mount.

Stevens would pull even at 3-3 in the home half of the sixth inning with four hits of its own in the frame. The Ducks got on the board with a one out home run from Kenneth Meerendonk in the sixth and then evened the scored when T.J. Alcorn singled to center field to plate two runs.

Alcorn's run scoring single would be the last run scored until the bottom of the tenth inning on Wednesday night. The Dolphins had a runner cut down at home to end the seventh and advanced a runner to scoring position in the top of the tenth but could not push across the go ahead run. Stevens then loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the frame and plated the winning run on a Dan Silva single to send the Ducks to the semifinal round of the tournament. The loss was the Mount's third straight to close the season and drops it to 2-1 in extra inning decisions.

The Dolphins outhit the Ducks in the contest 10-9 and eight of the nine players in the starting lineup collected a least one hit. Pope finished the game 2-5 with a run scored for the Mount and Blackford also finished up 2-5, scoring a run and driving in another.

Stevens had a trio of players with two hits in the game, with Alcorn going 2-3 with a pair of RBI. Meerendonk went 2-5 with a run and an RBI and Silva finished up 2-4 with a run and also an RBI.

Mongelli worked 6.0 strong innings for the Dolphins in the contest, allowing three earned runs on six base hits. He struck out six Ducks and walked just two in the no decision. John Olsen (Seaford, N.Y.) worked 2.2 scoreless innings of relief in the game, allowing just one hit and collecting a strikeout. Blackford took the loss for the Dolphins and fell to 2-1 on the season after allowing one run in 0.1 innings. He walked one batter and also struck out one.

Dan Anunziatta got the start for Stevens and went 5.0 innings allowing three runs on seven hits. Vincent Vinci picked up the win in relief for the Ducks, working 5.0 innings and allowing just three hits. He walked three batters in the outing but fanned eight Dolphins as he improved to 2-3 on the season.

The loss closes Mount Saint Vincent's 2009 campaign with a 19-17 overall record.