Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Not only did the Keuka College baseball team clinch a spot in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) postseason tournament with Saturday's sweep of Penn State-Berks, the Storm are in the running to host the conference tournament if Sunday's games break a certain way.
One thing is known about the 2014 baseball team: after sweeping Berks by scores of 6-4 and 8-7, the Storm (20-11, 11-6 NEAC) wrapped up the program's first NEAC postseason appearance since the 2009 season.
Junior Dan Smith (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks) drove in the winning run on an RBI single in the ninth inning of the second game as the Green and Gold rallied from a 6-1 deficit to complete the sweep of Berks (15-17, 11-6).
It was Keuka College's second come-from-behind win of the day. In the opener, junior Jon Borchert (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) had a two-run single and Smith added an RBI triple as the Green and Gold scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to rally for the win.
Heading into the final day of the regular season, Keuka College, Berks, and Gallaudet (D.C.) University are all 11-6, while Penn State-Abington is 10-7 and SUNYIT is 10-8.
The Storm have clinched a playoff spot, but where the team falls in the conference standings depends on the result of Sunday's games, which include a 12 p.m. Senior Day contest against Berks.
Borchert was 2-for-3 with three RBI, sophomore Billy McDermott (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Smith, senior Kyle McVannan (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) and junior Jake Burachalk (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton) each drove in runs in the first game.
Trailing 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Smith drove in a run on an RBI triple, McVannan had an RBI single, Burachalk was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Borchert added a two-run single to give Keuka College a 6-3 lead.
Berks got a run back in the sixth, but senior Jeremy Pyszczynski (Alden, NY/St. Mary's) made the lead stand. He allowed a leadoff double in the seventh, but the Berks' baserunner was thrown out trying to reach third on a fly out to right field, and Pyszczynski got a strikeout to end the game.
Pyszczynski improved to 4-3 after allowing four runs (two earned) on 11 hits with five strikeouts and no walks in seven innings.
In the nightcap, Smith was 2-for-5 with two RBI, senior Gavin Corbin (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) drove in two runs and McDermott and seniors Dom D'Augustino (Williamson, NY/Williamson) and Hector Mitaynes (Rochester, NY/Eastridge) each added RBI in the win.
McDermott finished 3-for-5, Borchert was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and D'Augustino was 3-for-3 to help the Storm remain in the hunt for the regular-season championship.
Trailing 6-1 going into the bottom of the fourth, the Storm got a run back on Mitaynes' RBI groundout.
Berks tacked on an unearned in the fifth, but the Storm answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a wild pitch and an RBI single from McDermott.
D'Augustino's RBI single in the sixth sliced the deficit to 7-5, and the Storm forced extra innings when Corbin drilled a two-run double to the gap in left field.
Both teams had good scoring chances in extra innings, and Berks loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth. But McVannan came on in relief and closed out the game, getting two strikeouts to escape the eighth-inning jam.
In the bottom of the ninth, Smith won it for the Storm when he hit an RBI single that plated Burachalk with the winning run.
McVannan earned the win, improving to 4-1 after allowing one hit and striking out three over two effective innings of relief.
The Storm host Berks at noon Sunday on Senior Day. Corbin, D'Augustino, McVannan, Mitaynes, Pyszczynski, Dylan Campbell (Rockville, MD/Walter Johnson), Patrick Campbell (Avon, NY/Avon), Dave Goetz (Kirkwood, NY/Windsor), Brandon Jacobs (Walworth, NY/Gananda), Justyn Schuck (Hammondsport, NY/Hammondsport) and Greg Starks (Wellsville, NY/Andover) will be honored for their hard work and dedication to the baseball program.