Endicott's Cinderella run comes up short

Endicott's Cinderella run comes up short

May 2, 2009

 

Box Score - Game One / Box Score - Game Two

 

MILTON, Mass. - After beating fourth-seeded Salve Regina and then knocking-off No. 14 and top-seed Curry, the Gulls finally had their Cinderella run come to an end as the Curry College Colonels rallied for a pair of victories over Endicott to advance to Sunday's TCCC Finals against Western New England College. Endicott ends its season on Wednesday when the Blue and Green travel to take on Suffolk University.

After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning of game one off RBI doubles from Brian Andersen (Grafton, Mass.) and Joe Klein (Monroe, Conn.), Curry responded with one run in the third, three in the fifth and two in the sixth to take the decision in game one, 6-2. The Colonels' Tim Sweeney (Walpole, Mass.) and Jesse Bruinsma (Lynnfield, Mass.) each homered in the fifth, while senior pitcher Jim Simon (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) improved to 6-1 overall with a seven inning, two run performance.

In the deciding game two, Curry scored five runs in the first three innings and then exploded for a seven-run fourth, ending any title hopes for the Gulls. The Colonels belted out 23 hits, getting to Endicott ace Colin McGinn (Tolland, Conn.) to the tune of seven runs in three innings of work. Tim Sweeney again went deep for the hosts, while James Geosits (Wyomissing, Pa.) had two round-trippers in the dominating 15-1 win. Curry left a total of 13 runners stranded, including bases-loaded in both the third and fourth innings.

Cory Collins (Whitman, Mass.) pitched a gem for the Colonels as the junior allowed just one run on three hits in eight innings. Ben Howrigan (Fairfield, Vt.) closed the game out by catching Mike Barbati (Melrose, Mass.) looking for the called strike three.

Curry, which improved to 34-6 overall with the pair of wins, will now host Western New England College in The Commonwealth Coast Conference Finals on Sunday afternoon in Milton, Mass. The much-anticipated championship game will pit the top-seeded Colonels against the second-seeded Golden Bears.