Posted: May 13, 2010
BEVERLY, Mass. – Second seeded Endicott College scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning and never looked back, topping seven seed Anna Maria College by the score of 6-1 to advance in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship Tournament on Thursday afternoon in Beverly, Mass. The win was the fourth of the season by the Gulls over the AMCATS, as the Blue and Green took a TCCC doubleheader and a conference playoff game from AMC earlier in the year.
A two RBI double to right field by sophomore \#Mike Russo\# (Natick, Mass.) opened the scoring in the bottom of the second. The Gulls’ centerfielder then scored just one batter later when \#Eric Lemke\# (Southington, Conn.) reached on an infield single deep in the hole at second, and then advanced to second base on a throwing error by Andy Fallon (Worcester, Mass.) that also allowed Russo to score.
The Gulls proceeded to tack on a single run in the third, fourth and fifth innings, including a solo homerun to deep centerfield from \#Colin Sitarz\# (West Hartford, Conn.). The sophomore drove a two out pitch from Jim McNamara (Worcester, Mass.) off the top of the rocks in centerfield to give the Gulls a 4-0 lead.
The advantage grew to 5-0 when the Gulls pulled off a double steal, with Russo taking home and Lemke swiping second. A fifth inning RBI single by senior catcher \#Joe Klein\# (Monroe, Conn.) padded the Endicott advantage to six runs.
The AMCATS plated their only run of the day in the top of the seventh when Jeff Kodys (Holden, Mass.) doubled down the left field line, eventually scoring on an RBI single to centerfield by Judd Evarts (N. Ferrisburg, Vt.) just two batters later.
Senior pitcher \#Colin McGinn\# (Tolland, Conn.) went seven innings, allowing seven hits and one run while striking out four to up his record to 8-4. \#Matt Sharon\# (Wallingford, Vt.) and \#Benjamin Petrides\# (Belchertown, Mass.) each pitched one inning apiece, allowing a combined two hits and no runs.
McNamara took the loss as he gave up eight hits and six runs (three earned) in six innings of work. Zach Rafferty (Worcester, Mass.) pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth inning for AMC.
\#Mike Russo\# went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and two RBI to lead the Gulls. \#Colin Sitarz\# and \#Joe Klein\# each had multi-hit games while driving in a run apiece in the victory. Anna Maria got a pair of hits from both Andy Fallon and Jeff Kodys in the setback.