Boxscore
Throggs Neck, N.Y. – The College of Mount Saint Vincent Baseball team advanced to the final four of the Skyline Conference Tournament with an 8-5 win over sixth seeded Purchase on Wednesday night. Senior John McManus (Queens, N.Y.) went 2-for-5 with three RBI for the Dolphins.
After Purchase pulled in front 2-1 in the top half of the second inning, the Dolphins pushed across five in the bottom half of the frame to jump in front 6-2. With two outs in the inning, McManus lifted a pop up on the infield that was wind blown to the foul line. With the runners of the move, all three scored after the ball fell safely.
Mount Saint Vincent would not surrender the lead and made two key defensive plays to keep Purchase chasing. With the bases loaded and one out in the third, Mike Trainor (Patterson, N.Y.) started a double play on a groundball back to the mound to end one threat.
Later in the game with runners on the corners and no one out, the Dolphins got an out on a ground out to short and then cut down the runner from third at the plate after he broke on the throw. Purchase would still plate a pair of runs in the inning to pull to within 6-4.
Mount Saint Vincent would tack on insurance runs in the sixth and the eighth to secure the win. The Panthers, however, put pressure on and had the tying run in scoring position in the eight, but Brian Rush (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) wiggled out of the jam after getting a pop out to end the inning.
The Dolphins were outhit in the game 9-8, but Purchase made five errors leading to three unearned runs. In three games this season against the Mount, the Panthers have committed 15 miscues leading to 11 unearned runs.
McManus and Fernando Suriel (Yonkers, N.Y.) each collected a pair of hits for the Dolphins. Suriel connected on his fifth home run of the season for the Dolphins in the second inning and drove in a pair of runs. Benjamin Toro, Jr. (Yonkers, N.Y.) finished the game 3-for-3 out of the nine hole and also scored three runs for the Mount.
Trainor picked up the win for the Dolphins after hurling 7.0 innings and allowing four earned runs on eight hits. He struck out six and walked only two. Rush and James Labartino (Holbrook, N.Y.) came out of the pen top work two scoreless innings. Labartino picked up the save, striking out the side in the ninth.
Purchase had three players with two hits on Tuesday, with Mark Donahue going 2-for-2 with a home run. He scored a pair of runs and drove in two for the Panthers. Albert Baez was saddled with the loss after pitching a complete game and allowing five earned runs on eight hits. He walked a pair of batters and struck out eight in the game.
The win pushes Mount Saint Vincent to 15-21 overall on the season. The Dolphins will continue on in the tournament when they take on second seeded Farmingdale St. First Pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
