March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Fernandez lifts Tech by LIU

ORONO – Mike Fernandez belted a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, igniting a three-run rally and lifting New York Tech to a 7-4 win over Long Island University in the opening round of the ECAC baseball tournament at Mahaney Diamond Wednesday.

Fernandez’s seventh homer of the season helped propel third-seeded New York Tech (31-18-1) into Thursday’s 7 p.m. winners bracket game against fifth-seeded LeMoyne College, a 6-4 winner over Fordham earlier in the day.

LIU (27-12) plays at 3 p.m. Thursday against the winner of the Maine-Central Connecticut game in the double-elimination event.

Tech entered the bottom of the seventh trailing 4-3 after LIU’s Ciro Ambrosio slammed his 13th homer, a solo shot to left off Tech starter and winner Jim O’Connor (7-3), in the top of the inning.

After Tech’s Jim Whitman worked LIU starter and loser Tom Fusco (8-2) for a leadoff walk, Fernandez followed by lining an 0-2 curveball 340 feet over the fence in left to give the Bears the lead for good.

“I pretty much had an idea he was going to come with the curve,” said Fernandez, after picking up his 37th and 38th RBIs of the season. “He’d thrown it the pitch before. It was just in a good location for me to hit.”

Tech added a third run in the inning when Alex Protosow singled, then scored from first on a single to the gap in left by Allen Watson and an error by LIU catcher Joe Durso, who dropped the ball on a perfect relay from shortstop Ambrosio on the play at the plate.

The Bears got an insurance run in the eighth on consecutive singles by Whitman, Fernandez, and Paul Bruno.

Tech reliever John Manfredo worked out of trouble in the eighth and ninth innings to earn his 10th save. The Blackbirds put two men on in both innings but couldn’t push a run across.

LIU, the top hitting team in the nation (.363), got to O’Connor for three runs in the third inning. Glenn Goldberg’s fielder’s choice grounder, a double by Jim Ruocchio, an RBI single by Rob Leary, and a two-run single by Sal Conti accounted for the scoring.

Tech had taken a 2-0 lead in the second, powered by RBI singles from Bobby George and Joe Volpe. The Bears added the tying run in the fourth inning on a single by Allen Watson, a two-base throwing error by Fusco on a pickoff attempt, and a wild pitch.

“Fusco was his own worst enemy out there at times today,” said LIU Coach Frank Giannone. “He throws the ball away early, then he hangs the 0-2 pitch to Fernandez.”

Watson had three singles to lead Tech.

Ambrosio had two singles to go with his homer for LIU.

Bears 7, Blackbirds 4

Long Island U. New York Tech

Name ab r h bi Name ab r h bi

Ambrosio, ss 5 1 3 1 Urcioli, ss 5 0 1 0

Goldberg, dh 3 1 1 0 Whitman, 3b 3 2 1 0

Ruocchio, 3b 5 1 2 0 Fernandez, rf 4 1 2 2

Leary, lf 5 1 1 1 Bruno, c 3 0 1 1

Conti, cf 4 0 2 2 Protosow, lf 4 2 1 0

Ciuffo, rf 3 0 2 0 Watson, 1b 4 1 3 0

Rubino, 1b 4 0 0 0 George, 2b 4 1 1 1

Bagley, 2b 4 0 1 0 Polis, dh 3 0 0 0

Durso, c 3 0 0 0 Volpe, cf 4 0 1 1

a-Vernagallo 0 0 0 0

b-Casazza 1 0 0 0

Totals 37 4 12 4 Totals 34 7 11 5

a-hit by pitch for Durso in 9th

b-lined to first for Casazza in 9th

Long Island U. 003 000 100 -4 New York Tech 020 100 31X -7

E – Fusco, Durso; Volpe 2B – Ciuffo, Ruocchio, Conti HR – Ambrosio (13); Fernandez (7) LOB – LIU 9, New York Tech 10 DP – Whitman to Urcioli to Bagley; Ciuffo to Ruocchio to Conti SB – George

Pitching Summary PITCHER IP H R BB SO

Fusco (L,8-2) 6 1/3 7 6 6 3

Pontes 1 2/3 4 1 0 1

O’Connor (W,7-3) 7 10 4 1 4

Manfredo (S,10) 2 2 0 1 1

HBP – Protosow by Fusco; Vernagallo by Manfredo WP – Fusco, Pontes; Manfredo TIME -2:54


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