NCAA Regional Post-Game Interview
SALISBURY, MD – The Rowan University baseball team had its season come to an end in the final of the NCAA Salisbury Regional, losing to Washington & Jefferson College, 6-5 on Sunday.
The Presidents (35-11) advance to the NCAA Super Regional where they will face Misericordia University. Misericordia swept Christopher Newport University, 3-0 in the best of a five-game series.
Center fielder Dante Dalesandro (sr. Pittsburgh, PA/Mount Lebanon) totaled three hits, a home run, three runs and two runs batted in (RBI) for Washington & Jefferson. Second baseman Mullen Socha (sr. Independence, OH/St. Ignatius) added two hits, a homer, two RBIs and two runs. First baseman Josh Crummer (sr. Great Falls, VA/Flint Hill School) chipped in a hit and one RBI. Right-hander Michael Zito (so. Nashville, TN/Hume-Fogg) was the winning pitcher (2-1), throwing 3.2 innings and allowing four hits, two runs and one earned. Righty Clay Martin (sr. Canonsburg, PA/Canon-McMillan) picked up his 10th save on the season.
For the Profs (32-13), first baseman
Anthony Harrold (sr. Woodbury, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) recorded four hits, a home run, three runs and two RBIs. Center fielder
Matt Woods (sr. Berlin, NJ/Eastern Reg.) contributed three hits, a double and two runs. Designated hitter
Mitch Walker (jr. Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Mem.) chipped in one hit and a RBI, while second baseman
Alex Kokos (jr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) produced a double and one RBI.
Right-hander
Jeremy Dyzenhaus (jr. Morganville, NJ/Marlboro) suffered the loss (3-1), pitching 4.2 innings and striking out four. Righty
Andrew Cartier (sr. Estell Manor, NJ/Buena Reg.) hurled 3.1 innings and only gave up three hits, while fanning five batters.
Rowan jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Woods doubled to left field and was brought home when Harrold blasted a home run to left field. Washington & Jefferson tied the score in the bottom half. Dalesandro opened with a homer to center field and Artale drove in Socha with a groundout.
The Profs took a 3-2 advantage in the third frame. Harrold reached first on a single through the left side. Harrold was plated when Kokos drilled a double down the left field line. The Presidents answered in the bottom half, scoring two runs to pull ahead, 4-3. With a runner on first, Socha homered to left field.
The Brown and Gold evened the score at four in the fifth. Woods made it to first with a single through the right side and stole second. Walker knocked in Woods with a single to right field.Washington & Jefferson tacked on two in the bottom of the fifth to claim a 6-4 advantage. Dalesandro and Crummer both had RBI singles up the middle.
Rowan put the pressure on in the seventh, scoring one run to trail, 6-5. With bases loaded, Harrold came home on a wild pitch.
Friday, May 17th
Game 1: #1 Rowan 18, #4 Penn State Abington 2
Game 2: #3 Washington & Jefferson 4, #2 Salisbury 1
Saturday, May 18th
Game 3: Salisbury 5, Penn State Abington 2 (Penn State Abington eliminated)
Game 4: Washington & Jefferson 2, Rowan 0
Game 5: Salisbury vs. Rowan, 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 19th
Game 6: Washington & Jefferson 6, Rowan 5 (Washington & Jefferson advance to the Super Regional)
