by Tucker Terranova
Molloy wins the ECC Championship 8-3! pic.twitter.com/MANWd2DhrD
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 11, 2024
After a season series split of two wins apiece, No. 1 D’Youville and No. 2 Molloy clashed once more, this time at Mitchell Athletic Complex, with much higher stakes on the line: the ECC Championship and a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. D’Youville, despite stumbling in the tournament’s opening game against No. 4 St. Thomas Aquinas with a 7-3 loss, strung together two consecutive victories to secure their first ECC Championship berth in their inaugural season as a Division II program. Conversely, Molloy earned their third championship appearance in as many years, bolstered by a formidable pitching staff that yielded just four runs across the initial two contests.
Today was no different for the Lions.
Molloy gave the ball to Ryan Hynes, who rewarded them with 7.1 innings of shutout baseball. The senior southpaw recorded six strikeouts on 110 pitches, allowing six hits and only one free pass on his way to the win. Combined with a stellar offensive performance anchored by tournament Most Outstanding Player JJ DeVito, the Molloy Lions secured their second ECC Championship in three years, defeating the D’Youville Saints 8-3.
JJ DeVito takes home Most Outstanding Player, hitting .500 throughout the postseason for Molloy. pic.twitter.com/b4R0ChT6va
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 11, 2024
“No one beats us at the ‘Mitch” has been a rallying cry within the Molloy dugout all season, and they were ready to back that up this afternoon.
The first scoring threat of the afternoon occurred in the bottom of the second, as D’Youville starter Alex Dizimian worked himself into trouble by issuing a walk to Sean Welsh. Welsh stole second and advanced to third on the throw, setting up Patrick Sanchez with an opportunity to open the scoring. Sanchez did just that, lining an RBI single past the sprawling reach of D’Youville shortstop Billy Morris, giving the Lions the game’s first run.
Looking to add some early insurance, Molloy came into the bottom of the fourth with vengeance. Anthony Manisero got the party started with a single and Welsh added a single of his own to reach base for the second time. Joe Burriesci brought Manisero home on a fielder’s choice, Welsh scored on a wild pitch, and Burriesci came home on an RBI single courtesy of JJ DeVito, giving the Lions a 4-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the fifth, Manisero shut down any doubt surrounding his recent ECC Player of the Year selection, launching a no-doubt home run over the left field fence for his 9th round-tripper of the season, extending the Lions’ lead to 5.
The Saints had an opportunity to get on the board in the top of the sixth, as they loaded the bases with one out. However, Hynes would continue his dominance, inducing a lineout from Jeremy Glins and striking out Alex Dizimian to preserve his shutout.
Molloy added two in the sixth and one in the seventh to bring the lead to 8-0 courtesy of RBIs via Matt Yip, Manisero, and JJ DeVito, which was all they would need from the offense today.
“I was looking to go up there and hunt a pitch I liked. I just wanted to get it done for the team” said DeVito in a postgame interview with Axcess Baseball. DeVito finished the afternoon 2-3 with 2 RBIs and reached base four times, which was enough to secure him the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
The Saints, looking to mount a late-inning comeback, added three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Unfortunately, their comeback would end there as the Lions’ bullpen held them scoreless in the ninth.
D’Youville gave the ball to Alex Dizimian with their season on the line. Dizimian provided the Saints with 4 innings of work on 65 pitches, allowing four runs on five hits while walking one, but surrendered the loss.
Molloy will now turn their attention to the NCAA Tournament, which will begin on May 16.
“We have unfinished business,” said DeVito when talking about the NCAA Tournament. “We’ve got some of it done, but we have more to prove.”
