If last week was an upset, then there’s no more superlatives to describe what NYIT pulled off last night against No.17 nationally ranked Southern New Hampshire.
The Bears held off a late rally to win, 9-8, and put themselves one win away from advancing to the Division-II College World Series for the first time in program history.
The Penmen took a 1-0 lead off DJ Masuck in the second inning on a solo HR by Jake Coro.
In the fourth inning, the Bears tied it up on an RBI single by Kieran Dowd and took the lead on Matt DeAngelis‘ RBI single to score Dowd. In the fifth, Chris Campbell hit a solo shot to give the Bears a 3-1 lead.
The game was far from over, though, as the Penmen took the lead in the sixth inning on a three-run shot by Coro.
Trailing 4-3 in the seventh, Kieran Dowd struck again with a 2-RBI single to give the Bears the lead and Jake Lebel ripped a bases-clearing double to open up an 8-4 lead. For good measure, Kieran Dowd hit a solo HR to extend the lead to 9-4.
Masuck went 6.2 IP, allowing 4 ER on eight hits and three walks. It was far from his best performance of the season, but he was still in line for the victory. He used four double plays to help him out of trouble and Dean Fazah escaped a jam in the seventh to strand a runner in scoring position.
With the Bears leading by five runs in the ninth, surely the game was in hand. Not so quick.
The Penmen sent nine men to the plate in the bottom of the ninth and scored on a bases loaded walk, two sac flies and an RBI single to make it 9-8 and send the tying run to second base.
Ariel Taveras came on in relief of Ryan Mueller. He allowed the two sac flies but was able to induce a foul pop out to end the game and put the Bears on the verge of history.
Of all the wild things that they’ve been able to do, maybe the most impressive is their ability to strand runners. Whenever it appears their opposition is on the verge of coming through with a game-tying or go-ahead hit, the Bears pitchers have came up big stranding runners. Additionally, their ability to score runs with two outs has really made a huge difference this season. They have beaten all the perennial powerhouse in Division-II baseball over the past few weeks beginning with St. Thomas Aquinas then Franklin Pierce and Wilmington last week and now Southern New Hampshire.
All that stands between them and a trip to Cary is one more win.
