YORK, PA – The York College baseball squad closed out their 2022 regular season with a sweep of Albright in MAC Commonwealth play on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in York. The Spartans won game one 13-3 and completed the sweep with a 15-3 victory in the night cap.
The Spartans have now won five straight and seven of their last eight as they head into the Commonwealth playoffs a hot team.
 
Records: York 21-16 (11-5 MACC); Albright 1-36 (0-16 MACC)
Game One
Runs: York 13, Albright 3
Hits: York 16, Albright 7
Errors: York 1, Albright 1
WP: Bryce Shaffer (2-1); LP: Dan Stofko (1-8)
 
How It Happened
• After the Lions went in order in the first, the Spartans got off to a fantastic start in the bottom of the frame. York banged out five straight hits to start the game as they tallied three runs before the Lions got an out. The Spartans ended up scoring four runs for the early advantage. Austin Denlinger, Jack Barry, Andrew Santarpia and Brendan Martin each had RBIs in the inning.
• York tacked on three more runs in the second as Capobianco had an RBI ground out. Barry then doubled in Robby Elzinga for the sixth run of the game. Barry next scored on a Santarpia RBI single.
• The Lions broke up the shutout in the third as Ethan Karel was hit by a pitch with bases loaded to trim the Spartan lead to 7-1. York got that right back in the bottom of the inning as Michael Tinneny launched a solo home run to left to lead off the inning.
• York put the Lions away for good in the seventh as Capobianco had a two-run double to left to score Elzinga and Denlinger. Joey Ricciardi drew a pinch hit walk and then Capobianco and Ricciardi strolled home on Martin's three run homer to deep left as York took a 13-1 lead.
• The Lions got a pair of runs in the top of the eighth but Nick Cavallo came in got the final out of the eighth and then struck out the side in the ninth to close out the win.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Andrew Santarpia: 4-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B
Robby Elzinga: 3-for-4, 3 runs, 1 BB, 2 2B
Joe Capobianco: 2-for-5, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 2 2B
Jack Barry: 2-for-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2B
Brendan Martin: 1-for-5, 1 run, 3 RBI, HR
Michael Tinneny: 1-for-3, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR
 
Spartan Pitching
Steven Hendrix: 3.0 IP, 1 hit, 1 ER, 3 K, 3 BB, 3 HB
Bryce Shaffer: 4.2 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 1 K, 4 BB, 1 WP
Nick Cavallo: 1.1 IP, 3 K
 
Game Two
Runs: York 15, Albright 3
Hits: York 12, Albright 11
Errors: York 0, Albright 2
WP: Brandon Purdy (3-4); LP: Hayden Paukstis (0-5)
 
How It Happened
• The Spartans got off to another good start as they struck for two runs in the bottom of the first. Robby Elzinga doubled to left center and rode home on a Joe Capobianco line drive homer to left field for the 2-0 lead.
• History repeated itself in the bottom of the third as Elzinga reached on a walk and came around to score on a second Capobianco home run to put York up 4-0. The Spartans got two more runs when Andrew Santarpia singled to right and he scored when Brendan Martin launched a two-run shot to left center as the lead grew to 6-0. Elzinga then ripped a bases loaded double to left center to score three more as the lead ballooned to 9-0.
• The Lions broke up the shutout in the fourth as Billy Bean launched a solo home run to left center with one out in the inning. York put another five on the board in the fourth as Santarpia, Michael Tinneny, Emidio Bucci, Elzinga, and Austin Denlinger all had RBIs in the inning.
• The Lions tallied two runs in the seventh before the Spartans got an unearned run in the eighth to provide for the final margin of victory.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Robby Elzinga: 2-for-3, 2 runs, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 2 BB
Joe Capobianco: 2-for-4, 3 runs, 4 RBI, 2 HR, BB
Garrett Kile: 3-for-4, 2 runs, BB
Andrew Santarpia: 2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, BB
Brendan Martin: 1-for-2, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR, 2 HBP
Michael Tinneny: 1-for-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 2 BB
 
Spartan Pitching
Brandon Purdy: 7.0 IP, 7 hits, 3 ER, 2 K, 1 WP
Ethan Kennedy: 2.0 IP, 4 hits, 0 runs
 
Spartan Notes
The games between the two teams were the first in program history … senior Jack Barry became the 10^th member of the 200 hit club with his third inning double in game one … Barry had two RBI on the day as he continues to close in on Mike Welch's career RBI record … Barry heads into the MAC Championships needing four RBI to tie Welch at 182 RBIs … senior Austin Denlinger is now three hits short of reaching 200 career hits … Denlinger reached 150 career runs and 130 RBIs during the two games … junior Robby Elzinga tied his career-high with two doubles in game one and did it again in game two … he tied his career-high with four RBI in game two … Elzinga leads the squad in total hits with 61 … Joe Capobianco ended his regular season with two more home runs as he blasted 14 this season and drove in a team-high 53 RBI … Capobianco also scored a team-high 49 runs with 14 doubles which tied Denlinger for the team lead … the Spartans have outscored their opponents 60-28 in the first inning including 6-0 in the two games today … York improves to 15-1 when they score 10 runs or more in a game … the Spartans have outscored their last ten home opponents 158-63 … the Spartans finished the regular season with a home record of 11-3 ... the Spartans recognized their 11 seniors as they were playing their last regular season series at Jaquet Field ... the Spartan seniors recognized before the game were Craig Wiley, Austin Denlinger, Jack Barry, Joey Ricciardi, Joe Capobianco, Josh Mann, AJ Vincenzi, George Mendoza, Nick Cavallo, Davaughn Reid, and Steven Hendrix.
 
Up Next
The Spartans begin the second season on Friday afternoon as they host third seeded Alvernia in the MAC Commonwealth semifinals. The best of three series begins Friday with one game followed by game two on Saturday. If necessary, the third game of the series will be held after game two. All games against the Golden Wolves will be held at Jaquet Field. Game time for Friday will be announced early next week. The winner of the semifinal will head to the championship series on May 13 and 14 at the highest remaining seed.