May 25, 2008

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

Around the Tournaments
Mount St. Mary's beats Monmouth twice for NEC crown

Stony Brook takes America East title; Rider captures MAAC championship

Northeast

No. 4 Mount St. Mary's 8-14, No. 1 Monmouth 3-2

In Atlantic City, N.J., Mount St. Mary's won a pair of games for the second day in a row to win the NEC tournament over top-seeded Monmouth. In the first game, The Mount (21-32) broke a 3-3 tie with a five-run eighth inning, keyed by a two-out, two-run double by Matt Eiden. After saving both games on Saturday, Mike Matta got the win for the Mount, going 6.1 innings in relief, allowing just one earned run.

Game 2 was the Josh Vittek Show. The senior opened the scoring with a two-run double in the first and ended up 4 for 4 with six RBI, including his 19th homer. Vittek won the tournament MVP award for his efforts. Zach Helman and Ryan Murray each added three hits in the rout and combined for eight RBI.

America East

No. 1 Binghamton 4, No. 4 Vermont 0

No. 2 Stony Brook 6, No. 3 Binghamton 0

In Farmingdale, N.Y., Binghamton shut down Vermont to advance to the America East championship game. Starter Murphy Smith allowed just two hits in eight innings. Vermont starter Justin Albert was up to the task for the Catamounts (27-24) until the ninth, when Binghamton (29-26) put up four runs, Tom Baileys had a two-run double and Corey Taylor an RBI triple.

In the championship game, Binghamton was shut down again, but this time did not have a late rally to bail them out. Stony Brook's (34-24) Mike Errigo pitched a complete game shutout, running the Seawolves scoreless innings streak to 20. Errigo allowed just five Binghamton (29-27) hits and struck out six. Tournament outstanding player Steve Mazzurco drove in the first run with a fifth inning single and was 3 for 4 with two runs.

Metro Atlantic

No. 4 Rider 12, No. 2 Siena 5

In Trenton, N.J., offense proved too much for Siena in the MAAC championship game. Rider blew open a tight game with three in the fifth, a pair in the sixth, and four more in the seventh. Mo Williams had a pair of hits and had four RBI for Rider (29-26). Jon Liese was 4-for-4 with a pair of RBI, Sean Olson homered and John Ralston had two hits and an RBI. Reliever Mike Petrowski got the final eight outs without allowing a hit. Chris Klepps went deep for Siena (30-26).

Atlantic 10

No. 2 Charlotte 4, No. 1 Xavier 3 (11)

In Camden, N.J., it took 11 innings, but Charlotte emerged with its second consecutive A-10 championship. Alex Bryant's walk-off bunt single in the eleventh was the difference for the 49ers (43-14). Reliever Bryan Hamilton pitched the final 4.1 innings, keeping the Musketeers (27-31) at bay until Bryant's breakthrough. Rob Lyerly, who was selected as the tournament's most outstanding player, had an RBI single in the first. Mike Creevy pitched six scoreless innings in relief for Xavier.

Big East

No. 4 Louisville 6, No. 2 Cincinnati 3

In Clearwater, Fla., Louisville finally found its College World Series form of a year ago with a dominating run through the Big East tournament. The Cardinals (41-19) took the title game over Cincinnati (39-20) with a three-run eighth that broke a 3-3 tie. Stewart Ijames' two-run single after Chris Dominguez was intentionally walked was the key blow for Louisville in the inning. Andrew Clark also had two hits and Dominguez, the tournament's most outstanding player added two hits. Kevin Spina hit his 20th and 21st homers for Cincinnati, a school record.

Big South

No. 1 Coastal Carolina 9, No. 2 Liberty 2

In Danville, Va., Scott Woodward had an RBI double to tie the game and scored on a groundout in the fifth as Coastal Carolina took the lead for good in its 9-2 victory over Liberty to claim its second straight Big South title. The Chanticleers (47-12) added four in the sixth and two in the seventh to pull away from the Flames (35-26-1). Woodward finished with three hit, two runs and two RBI. Errol Hollinger had two hits for Liberty.

Big Ten

No. 1 Michigan 3, No. 2 Purdue 2

In Ann Arbor, Mich., Michael Powers pitched two scoreless innings to earn his third save in the tournament as Michigan nipped Purdue to claim its eighth Big Ten championship. Ryan LaMarre’s homer in the sixth for the Wolverines (45-12) tied the game at 2-2. One inning later, Kevin Cislo doubled and scored on a wild pitch to put UM ahead. The Boilermakers fell to 32-26.

Mountain West

No. 1 TCU 15, No. 2 New Mexico 2

In Fort Worth, Texas, Clint Arnold went 6 for 6 with two doubles, a homer and five RBI as TCU earned its fifth straight NCAA Regional bid with its win over New Mexico. Arnold was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after going 12 for 18 in five games. Chris Ellington’s two-run single in the first started the scoring for the Horned Frogs (43-17). Arnold’s two-run homer capped a three-run second for TCU. Matt Hibbitts had a two-run double in the third for the Lobos (34-25).