May 25, 2012

2012 Baseball Game 5 URI-SJU

BRONX, N.Y.--Sixth-seeded Saint Joseph's scored a ninth-inning game-inning run to defeat No. 3 Rhode Island 3-2 Friday in the 2012 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship at Fordham's Houlihan Park.

The Hawks advance to face No. 1 Saint Louis in the 4:30 pm consolation bracket game.  Rhode Island was eliminated from the championship, finishing with a record of 33-25-1.

Saint Joseph's loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth on a single and a pair of walks. Facing a full count, first baseman Kevin Taylor hit a ground ball to first base. The Rams attempted to get centerfielder Brett Tiagwad, the lead runner, out at the plate, but the throw home sailed wide and Tiagwad scored the game winner.

SJU's Daniel Thorpe (3-2) threw a complete game to get the win, allowing five hits and two runs with seven strikeouts in nine innings. Mike Bradstreet (3-4) took the loss for Rhode Island.

Rhode Island scored the first run of the game in the second inning on a Chris Famiglietti single to center that scored right fielder Joe Landi, who reached on a hit by pitch.

Saint Joseph's tied the game in the fifth after Tiagwad reached on a single and was driven in by a left fielder Kevin Kratochwill groundout. The Hawks then took the lead an inning later when shortstop Anthony Cirillo doubled home third baseman Stefan Kancylarz.

Rhody tied it at two on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Jeff Cammans to score Famiglietti, the left fielder, in the eighth inning.

Tiagwad went 3-for-4 to lead the Hawks while five URI batters had a single hit each.