May 6, 2007

    ROCKY MOUNT, NC-The York College baseball team ended their 2007 campaign with a doubleheader split against North Carolina Wesleyan on Sunday afternoon in Rocky Mount, NC. The Spartans captured game one, 6-1, before the Bishops battled back to win game two, 6-2. The Bishops end the season with a mark of 28-16 while the green and white conclude the regular season with a record of 29-12.
    In game one, the Spartans struck for three runs in the top of the first. Mike Santoro (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan), Ryan Craig (Rocky Point, NY/Rocky Point), and Mike Connolly (Selden, NY/Newfield) each collected an RBI in the inning. The Bishops struck for a single run in the bottom of the frame as Matt Smith had an RBI double to left, cutting the Spartan lead to 3-1.
    The Spartans got that run back in the top of the second as Jeff Young (Wilmington, DE/Brandywine) stroked an RBI double to left, scoring Dennis Maxim (Port Jefferson Station, NY/St. Anthony’s) with the Spartans’ fourth run.
    York added to the lead in the fifth Connolly ripped a two-run single to left, scoring Ryan Poff (Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove) and Young.
    That would be more than enough for Spartan starter Matt Austin (Shrewsbury, PA/Susquehannock) as the sophomore tossed seven innings, allowing one run on seven hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Austin improves to 7-4 overall with the win.
    Blake Rice suffered the loss as he allowed six runs on 10 hits with seven strikeouts and five walks. He ends the season with a mark of 5-4.
    Connolly led the offense as he was 2-for-4 with three RBI. Young was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI while Bryan Bednarczyk (Columbia, MD/River Hill) was the third Spartan with two hits as he was 2-for-3 with a walk.
    Chris Pecora and Smith each had two hits for the Bishops. Pecora scored the run as Smith drove him in.
    In the nightcap, York again jumped out on top as Poff doubled to right, scoring Bednarczyk with two outs as the green and white led 1-0.
    The Bishops got a pair of runs off Spartan ace Chris Brower (Mont Clare, PA/Spring-Ford) in the bottom of the second as Tyler Goarck and Nathan West each had RBI singles to center in the inning.
    York tied the game in the top of the fifth as Maxim singled with one out and came around to score on a Young single with two outs.
    The Bishops recaptured the lead in the bottom of the fifth on a Smith single to right, plating Pecora. NC Wesleyan tacked on three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. The Spartans went in order in the seventh as the Spartan regular season came to a close with a loss.
    Ben Pearson earned the win for the Bishops as he tossed seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Pearson improves to 9-2 for the campaign. Brower suffered the loss as he allowed six runs on ten hits in six innings of work. He struck out four, hit two and did not walk a batter. He falls to 8-2 for the season.
    Pecora and Smith led the Bishop offense as they were each 2-for-4 with an RBI. Pecora added a run scored for the hosts. Luke Williford also had a pair of hits as he was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
    Young and Poff paced the Spartan offense as they were 1-for-3 with an RBI. Bednarczyk was 1-for-4 with a run scored for the green and white.
    The Spartans must now wait one week until they find out if they will be selected to the 2007 NCAA Tournament. If the Spartans are selected, they will open play on Thursday, May 17 at a site to be determined.