9th Inning Drama: Skyhawks Get 5-4 Win

 
Easton, Mass. - Freshman Michael White (Lisbon, N.H.) singled down the right field line with one out in the ninth inning to score Ryan Healey (Lynn, Mass.) and lift host Stonehill to a thrilling 5-4 win over visiting Pace University on Tuesday afternoon at Lou Gorman Field.

The Skyhawks never trailed, but the Setters erased a three run deficit in the seventh and then tied the score in the top of the ninth after the Skyhawks had reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the eighth.

Stonehill scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the opening frame when singles from Mitch Davis (Bow, N.H.) and Scott Hackett (Bangor, Maine) set up Healey's sacrifice fly.

The Skyhawks plated two more runs in the fifth when Nate Weber (Hanson, Mass.) launched his second home run in as many days with a blast to left field and an RBI single to left by Kyle Shepard (Boxford, Mass.).

Stonehill starter Eric Haughn (Pembroke, Mass.) cruised through the first six innings, scattering five hits before the Setters bats came alive in the top of the seventh. A leadoff walk to Kyle Turnier (Waterford, CT/Waterford) (Waterford, Conn.) and then a double to left by J.J. Conrad that banged off the fence put runners on second and third with no outs. Alex McCormick (South Weymouth, Mass.) replaced Haughn and got two quick outs while allowing just one of the runs to score. Then, however, Vinny Dammann (Mullica Hill, N.J.) crushed a McCormick offering over the right field fence to even the game at 3-3.

The Skyhawks regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth when Davis singled up the middle, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. He made it 4-3 on Hackett's RBI single to center.

To their credit, the Setters battled back, getting a leadoff walk and a pinch hit single from Tyler Hart (Poughquag, NY/Arlington) (Poughquag, N.Y.) to put runners on the corners with one out. The game tying run scored on Stonehill's third error of the day.

Stonehill cranked out 12 hits on the day - three coming from Davis and two each from Hackett and Weber.

McCormick, who pitched three innings of two-hit relief, picked up the win, while Frank Luongo (West Harrison, NY/Harrison) (West Harrison, N.Y.), gets the loss for the Setters.

The Skyhawks (17-13, 9-7 Northeast-10) and Pace (14-21-1, 8-11 Northeast-10) will face each other on Wednesday in Pleasantville, N.Y. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Courtesy of Stonehill Sports Information Department