YORK, PA – It was a big day for the York College baseball team as they celebrated Senior Day at Jaquet Field prior to their non-conference contest against the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats. A lot of smiles and enjoyment from Senior Day carried over to the field as the Spartans snapped the Diplomats' seven game win streak with a 7-3 victory.

The Spartans are 12-15 while the Diplomats fall to 22-8 following the loss.

Spartan head coach Mike Scappa knows Senior Day is a special event for his team.

 "It's always emotional. You're talking about the light at the end of the tunnel for their careers," said Scappa. "This is the first crew that I've been together with for all four years, it's more meaningful. All three senior pitchers pitched well, seniors played outstanding defense, got clutch hits, and got stolen bases, so it was a nice well-rounded effort."

Spartan pitcher Andrew Tucci (Birdsboro, Pa. / Daniel Boone) got out of a jam early in the top of the first. After Tucci hit Brett Poniros with a pitch and allowed a single to Dan Marano, he got David Iacobucci to ground into a 6-4-3 double play. With two outs and Poniros on third, Tucci struck out Mike Smeriglio swinging for the third out with no damage done.

Tucci settled down in the next two innings while the Spartan offense got something going in the bottom of the third. Scott Steffy (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown East) led off with a single to right center and advanced to second as J.J. Oleniacz (Great Falls, Va. / Langley) laid down a sacrifice bunt. After Logan Countryman (Baltimore, Md. / Loch Raven) lined out to second and Brad Wenzel (Blandon, Pa. / Fleetwood Area) drew a walk, Stephen Miele (Allentown, Pa. / Salisbury) hit a dribbler to second which then darted off the dirt to the right of the second basemen, resulting in Steffy scoring from second to give the Spartans the 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, Diplomat pitcher Brandon Theriault came in to relieve Sam Ackerman. Sean Mohollen (Rose Valley, Pa. / Strath Haven) led off by reaching on a Diplomat throwing error. After Seth Brosius (Magnolia, Del. / Caesar Rodney) singled, advancing Mohollen to third, Christian Bilan (Lumberton, N.J. / Camden Catholic) hit an RBI single to right field. Steffy then laid down a sacrifice bunt but reached base on another Diplomat error, scoring Brosius from second. Bilan was thrown out at the plate as he tried to score from first base on the error. Oleniacz hit an RBI single to left field, scoring Steffy to give the Spartans the 4-0 lead.

Another 1-2-3 inning for Tucci in the top of the fifth resulted in the Spartan offense opening up the game in the bottom half of the frame. The Diplomats went to the pen again as Gareth Fancher came in to relieve Theriault. Miele singled then stole second. Mohollen added another run for the Spartans as he roped an RBI double to right center, scoring Miele. Brosius singled to center field and advanced to second on the throw. With Mohollen at third and Brosius at second, Bilan stroked a two-run double down the right field line to extend the Spartans lead to seven.

The Diplomats got on the board in the top of the sixth as Poniros hit a two-run home run to center field. Mike Scappa came out to argue as the ball looked like it hit off the top of the wall and bounced back into play, but to no prevail, as the home run counted. That's all Tucci allowed as he got Smeriglio to ground into a 3-6-3 double play to end the inning.

In the top of the eighth, the Diplomats added a run off Spartan reliever Dan Gurganus (Prince Frederick, Md. / Huntingtown) but that would be it. Gurganus closed out the rest of the eighth while Zach Philippi (Levittown, Pa. / Harry S. Truman) closed the door on the Diplomats in the ninth to seal the 7-3 Spartans victory on Senior Day.

Tucci earned his fourth win of the season as he allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings pitched. He struck out three Diplomats. Gurganus gave up one run on two hits in his one inning of work. Philippi registered a strikeout in his one inning of relief.

For the Diplomats, Ackerman suffered the loss as he allowed one run on three hits in three innings of work. He had two strikeouts. Fiver other relievers came out of the Diplomats pen through the course of the next five innings. Combined, they gave up six runs, three earned, on nine hits while striking out two Spartans.

With 12 hits for the Spartans, Brosius recorded a fourth of them with three hits in his four plate appearances. Countryman, Miele, and Bilan each tallied two hits while three other Spartans notched a hit a piece. Bilan recorded three RBI while Miele, Mohollen, and Oleniacz each added one run batted in during the win.

Scappa was pleased with the Spartans ability to produce runs and capitalize on the Diplomat errors.

"We were able to put the ball in play and stayed aggressive the whole game. That effectiveness is infectious."

Marano led the Diplomated with three hits. Cory Hecht added two while four others notched one a piece. Poniros tallied two RBI while Smeriglio recorded one in the loss.

Under Scappa, the Spartans will certainly continue to give their all.

"They've been practicing with good energy, there's something to play for. Guys are trying to finish on a strong note."

The Spartans host the Montclair State University Red Hawks on Tuesday, April 21 at Jaquet Field. First pitch is slated for 4:00 pm.

Recap written by Sean Naylor – Athletic Communications Student Assistant

Seniors photo courtesy of David Sinclair