Mount Saint Mary College

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - Freshman Matt Prescia (Oakdale, N.Y.) drove home two runs in the top of the eleventh inning to send third-seeded Mount Saint Mary College to a 7-5 victory over second-seeded St. Joseph's College in the Skyline Conference Tournament.  The Knights advance to play top-seeded Farmingdale State College in the winner's bracket on Saturday at noon.

In the eleventh, Mount Saint Mary loaded the bases without a hit as freshman Mike Moosbrugger (Sound Beach, N.Y.) drew a leadoff walk and then moved to second when senior Mike Umphlett (North Stonington, Conn.) was hit by a pitch.  Freshman Thomas McNoble (Breezy Point, N.Y.) drew another walk to load the bases, setting the table for Prescia.  The freshman singled to left field, plating Moosbrugger and Umphlett.

Sophomore pitcher Ben Shortslef (Sterling, N.Y.) pitched a perfect bottom half of the inning to close out the victory.  Shortslef, who didn't allow a hit for three innings while striking out four, was credited with the win

It was freshman Marc Soevyn (Elmont, N.Y.) who saved the day for the Knights, though, pitching seven solid innings in relief of ineffective freshman Joe CoFrancesco (Hamden, Conn.).  Entering the game to start the second inning, Soevyn allowed just six hits and two earned runs to keep the Knights in the contest.

Trailing 3-0 into the sixth inning, the Knights loaded the bases when sophomore Max Tecce (Glen Cove, N.Y.) reached with a bunt single.  Junior Louis Peisel (Brewster, N.Y.) drove home the first run of the inning with a fielder's choice, although St. Joseph's didn't record an out on the play.  Sophomore John Conroy (Middletown, N.Y.) followed suit with another groundball to the infield, making the score 3-2.  Now with runners at the corners and one out, freshman Paul Cherubino (Middletown, N.Y.) grounded out to third, allowing Tecce to cross with the third run of the frame.

St. Joseph's junior Frank Dipresso (Medford, N.Y.) launched a solo home run in the bottom half of the sixth to regain the lead for the Golden Eagles.

The lead would be short-lived, however, as the Mount responded with two runs in the top half of the seventh.  Umphlett led off with a triple and then scored when Prescia reached on an error by the shortstop.  Prescia moved to second on a groundout by junior Billy Casey (Marlboro, N.Y.) and the scored when Tecce singled to center field.

St. Joseph's senior Mark Cisek (Sayville, N.Y.) led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, moved to second on sacrifice bunt, and then scored when senior Mike Gerdes (Wantaugh, N.Y.) singled through the right side to make the score 5-5.

The game remained tied into the eleventh as Shortslef and Golden Eagles sophomore Seth Pileggi (Smithtown, N.Y.) traded scoreless frames.  Pileggi escaped a first-and-third, one-out jam in the top of the ninth, while Shortslef wriggled out of a first-and-second, one-out situation in the bottom of the tenth.

Prescia finished the game 2-for-4 with three runs batted in and two runs scored, while Umphlett was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.  Tecce batted 2-for-6 with a run scored and an RBI.  Conroy also belted out a pair of hits (2-for-5) and collected an RBI.

For the Golden Eagles, Gerdes finished 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and a run scored, while DiPresso and Cisek each went 2-for-5.  St. Joseph's senior starting pitcher Ron Eichhorn (Sayville, N.Y.) allowed just two hits and struck out seven over five innings, but struggled to find the strike zone at times, walking five.  He was lifted after walking the first two batters of the sixth inning.

Mount Saint Mary remains in the winner's bracket and will take on Farmingdale at noon on Saturday for a guaranteed spot in the championship series.  St. Joseph's drops to the loser's bracket and will take on Old Westbury in an elimination game tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.