RINDGE, N.H. – The Caldwell College baseball team defeated fifth-seeded Dowling College, 7-3 before falling to top-seeded and 21st-ranked Franklin Pierce University, 16-4 at the NCAA Division II Northeast Region Tournament Saturday at Pappas Field. The win over Dowling advanced the Cougars (34-18) further than they have ever been at the regional, which continues on Sunday, May 18.
The day's first game actually began on Friday and was suspended after two innings due to rain. Dowling scored an unearned run on a walk and an error in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead. After the game resumed on Saturday, the Cougars wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. In the bottom of the third, senior Tommy Murphy (Monroe, NY/Washingtonville) tripled, then came home on a grounder by sophomore Omar Velazquez (Astoria, NY/Long Island City) to tie the game at 1-1. Senior Chris Chiarappa (Elmont, NY/Holy Trinity), left, led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk, advanced to third on a double from junior Jorge Torres (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella) then scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Ray Keelan (Barnegat, NJ/Southern Regional) to put Caldwell ahead 2-1.
A sacrifice fly from Chiarappa, in the fifth and an error that allowed freshman Edgar Santos (Woodside, NY/Bryant) to score in the sixth gave the Cougars a 4-1 advantage. The Golden Lions got a run back in the top of the seventh on a solo home run to right-centerfield by Chris Caputo that made the score 4-2. But Chiarappa launched a three-run homer over the centerfield fence for a 7-2 lead. An unearned run in the top of the ninth was all the Dowling offense could muster the rest of the way, as the Cougars won its second game at the regional.
Sophomore Robert Casal (Howard Beach, NY/St. Francis Prep) showed why he was the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference's Pitcher of the Year, as he gave up three runs, one earned, on four hits in a complete-game effort to improve to 9-4. Casal, right, who surrendered just two hits after the third inning, fanned eight batters while walking two. Dowling's Chris Piotrowski gave up three runs on five hits and three walks in five innings to drop to 6-3 on the year.
Against top-seeded Franklin Pierce, the Ravens took an early lead with a two-run homer by Derek Ingui in the top of the first. Murphy led off Caldwell's half with a single, then later scored from third on a Chiarappa grounder to cut the deficit to 2-1. An eight-run fourth inning broke the game open, with Franklin Pierce hitting three home runs to take a 10-1 advantage. All eight runs were scored with two outs. Caldwell cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run homer by freshman Gabriel Molina (Bronx, NY/Monroe). It was his second of the tournament and seventh of the season. But the Cougars were unable to get any closer, as the Ravens pounded a total of six home runs, including two by Ingui.
Junior Eric Hines (Milltown, NJ/Spotswood) lasted 3 2/3 innings and took the loss. The Ravens' Kyle Vazquez pitched eight innings and gave up four runs on eight hits while striking out seven to improve to 7-1.
The Cougars are still alive in the Northeast Regional and will play second-seeded Bryant University on Sunday, May 18. The first pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. at Pappas Field.
