YORK, PA – After dropping game two of the 2022 MAC Commonwealth semifinal series, the York College baseball squad won the decisive game three 7-3 over Alvernia University on Sunday in York.
The Golden Wolves forced game three with a 4-1 win in game two but the Spartans were able to earn their second straight trip to the Commonwealth championship series with the game three victory.
York will head to top seeded Lebanon Valley next Friday to open the championship series in a rematch of last year's championship tilt.
 
Records: York 23-17, Alvernia 18-24-1
Game One
Runs: York 1, Alvernia 4
Hits: York 8, Alvernia 6
Errors: York 0, Alvernia 1
WP: Jack Cossa (6-3), LP: AJ Vincenzi (5-5), Save: Christian Burrus (5)
 
How It Happened
• The Golden Wolves opened the scoring in the third as Billy Dougar reached on a fielder's choice with two outs. He stole second and scored on a Zach Rogacki double to left center after a great at-bat. Rogacki then scored on a Justin Ayala single to right center as Alvernia took the 2-0 lead.
• Freshman Michael Tinneny immediately sliced the Spartan deficit in half as he blasted a solo home run to left for his fifth homer of the year. The Golden Wolves answered in their half of the fourth as Matt Edwards blasted a home run to deep left, pushing the Alvernia lead back to two at 3-1.
• Josh Gilkey led off the top of the fifth with a single to left. He moved to second on a balk and scored on a two-out single down the right field line to give Alvernia the 4-1 lead. York had a golden opportunity to get back into the game in the sixth as Austin Denlinger led off the frame with with a bullet double to left center. Joe Capobianco was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second with no outs. Alvernia starter Jack Cossa buckled down and got a fielder's choice, a strikeout and a pop up to get out of the inning unscathed.
• York got a pair of runners on in the bottom of the ninth but Christian Burrus got out of the jam for his team-leading fifth save of the year.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Michael Tinneny: 2-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (5)
Garrett Kile: 1-for-3, 1 BB
Joe Capobianco: 1-for-2, BB, HBP
Austin Denlinger: 1-for-4, 2B
Chris Nesensohn: 1-for-1
 
Spartan Pitching
AJ Vincenzi: 8.0 IP, 6 hits, 4 ER, 5 K, 2 BB, 1 BK
Steven Hendrix: 1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 BB

Game Two
Runs: York 7, Alvernia 3
Hits: York 7, Alvernia 6
Errors: York 1, Alvernia 1
WP: Brandon Purdy (4-4); LP: Nick Callicari (0-3), Save: Ethan Kennedy (1)
 
How It Happened
• York got on the board in the bottom of the first with a wild inning. Robby Elzinga opened the game by getting hit by a pitch. He moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on an Austin Denlinger single to center. Elzinga was out at home on a Joe Capobianco fielder's choice. Denlinger advanced to third on the play at the plate and scored a few pitches later on a wild pitch. After a ground out moved Capobianco to third, he scored on a wild pitch for the 2-0 lead. Andrew Santarpia then launched a solo homer to left to put York up 3-0.
• York added a run in the second as the Spartans loaded the bases only to have Capobianco draw a walk to score a run for the 4-0 lead.
• The Golden Wolves started chipping away at the Spartan lead in the third as Justin Ayala plated the first run with a sacrifice fly. Alvernia added another run on a Zach Rogacki sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth to cut York's lead to 4-2. Mike Ramundo scored Alvernia's third run with a third sacrifice fly in the sixth. York was fortunate the Golden Wolves didn't get more as Alvernia left seven runners stranded in the three innings in which they scored.
• Capobianco extended the Spartan lead with an RBI single to score Elzinga with York's fifth run of the day. The Green and White padded the lead in the eighth thanks to a two-out, two-run Elzinga single to right as the Spartan lead grew to 7-3.
• Alvernia went 1-2-3 in the ninth as the Spartans punched their ticket to the championship series.
 
Spartan Offensive Leaders
Robby Elzinga: 1-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBI
Joe Capobianco: 1-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBI
Andrew Santarpia: 1-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, HR (3)
Michael Tinneny: 1-for-4, 1 run
Garrett Kile: 1-for-3, 1 run
 
Spartan Pitching
Brandon Purdy: 5.0 IP, 5 hits, 3 ER, 3 K, 1 BB
Bryce Shaffer: 0.1 IP, 1 hit, 1 BB, I HB
Ethan Kennedy: 3.2 IP, 3 K, 0 hits, 0 runs
 
Spartan Notes
York is now 16-8 all-time against Alvernia as they won three of the five games between the two teams in 2022 … the game two loss snapped York's season-high six game win streak … York was held to one run for just the second time at home in Sunday's opener (8-1 loss vs. Lebanon Valley on March 29) … York had just one error in the two games on Sunday … York leads the MAC Commonwealth in home runs as they have blasted 52 bombs in 40 games … York handed out just five walks in the three-game series while they struck out 19 … senior Joe Capobianco added to his team lead in free passes as he picked up two more walks as he has 26 for the year … Capobianco also added to his team lead in RBI as he now has 55 … Capobianco is tied with Austin Denlinger for the team lead in runs scored with 51 … Denlinger holds a slim 117-112 lead over Capobianco in total bases … freshmen Andrew Santarpia and Michael Tinneny continue to make an impact on the Spartan line up … Tinneny hit his fifth homer in the opener as he is now hitting .313 with 17 runs scored, four doubles and 21 RBIs … Santarpia is hitting .346 with 31 runs scored, 12 doubles, one triple, three homers and 30 RBIs.
 
 Up Next
The Spartans will head to Annville, PA on Friday to face the top seeded Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen in the opening game of the 2022 MAC Commonwealth championship series. Game one on Friday kicks off at 3:30 pm. The series continues on Saturday with game two, and game three, if necessary. Saturday's action begins at noon at LVC.