SALISBURY, MD – For the second time this
season, the York College baseball team was victimized by a walk-off
home run at Salisbury University. The first time came in the
regular season. The second time came Saturday in an elimination
game in the 2009 Capital Athletic Conference Tournament.
Salisbury's Randy Boyle jacked a two-out solo home run in the
bottom of the 11th inning to allow the top seeded Sea Gulls to
advance with a 5-4 win while the second seeded Spartans were
eliminated.
The Spartans, who opened the tournament with a 6-0 win over St.
Mary's on Thursday, fell to Stevenson in a sloppy game Friday
for the their first loss, setting up the elimination scenario
Saturday morning.
The Spartans jumped on the board first in the top of the first
frame as Mike Connolly (Selden, N.Y./Newfield)
scored on a Rob Andrews (East Northport,
N.Y./Commack) RBI single with two outs.
Salisbury reached Spartan starter Chris Frankenfield
(Blue Bell, Pa./Wissahickon) for the tying run in the
fourth on an RBI ground out.
York recaptured the lead in the sixth as the Spartans opened the
inning with a Dustin Worthman (Tabernacle,
N.J./Seneca) single and a Kyle Cook (Pylesville,
Md./North Harford) single. Worthman came around to score
on an error and Cook moved up to second due to the miscue. Connolly
moved Cook to third on a sacrifice bunt. Cook then came around to
score when senior Ryan Poff (York, Pa./Spring
Grove) jacked a two run homer, giving York a 4-1 lead.
The Sea Gulls cut the Spartan lead to 4-2 in the seventh and
then got a two-run homer from Ryan Smith in the eighth, tying the
game at four.
Salisbury had the chance to win the game in the bottom of the
ninth but senior Jake Hughes (Schwenksville,
Pa./Souderton) came in and got a strikeout with two
runners on and two outs.
Neither team threatened in the tenth but the Spartans began the
11th with a potential uprising. Matt Austin (Shrewsbury,
Pa./Susquehannock) reached on an error and was pinch run
for by Mark Miloski (Calverton, N.Y./Riverhead).
Connolly hit into a fielder's choice but the Sea Gulls made
an error attempting to get Miloski at second. Miloski attempted to
move to third but was cut down at third, putting a huge dent in the
Spartan rally. Poff struck out and Andrews flied to left as the
Spartans would be unable to break the tie.
Sophomore Andy Rosenzweig (Glen Rock,
Pa./Susquehannock) came on to pitch the ninth. He got the
first two batters on strike before Boyle ended the game with just
his second homer of the year. Rosenzweig, who started the Stevenson
game on Friday, was tagged with this second loss in as many days as
he falls to 6-3.
Eric Willey earned the victory in relief for Salisbury as he
threw 3.1 perfect innings with four strikeouts. Willey improves to
7-2 with the win. Chad Wolfe started and allowed four runs on eight
hits in 5.1 innings of action.
Frankenfield pitched well for York as he allowed two runs on
seven hits with two strikeouts and a walk in his 6.0 inning stint.
Smith led the Salisbury offense as he was 2-for-5 with two RBI
and a run scored. Boyle was 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored
while Mike Celenza was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Bill Morton
was the fourth Sea Gull with multiple hits was he was 2-for-5 with
a run scored.
Cook led the Spartans as he was 3-for-3 with a run scored.
Worthman, Connolly, Poff and Andrews each had a pair of hits. Poff
had two RBI and a run scored while Andrews also had an RBI for
York. Worthman and Connolly scored the other two runs for York.
The Spartans return to action on Monday, April 20 when they host
Rowan University in a non-conference contest. First
GAME BOX
Photo: Kyle Cook led the Spartans with three hits on Saturday.
