Chris Hoyt hit the game-winning RBI-single in the seventh inning (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Hoyt's seventh inning single pushes Stonehill past #11 Southern New Hampshire

EASTON, Mass. (March 28, 2013) – The Stonehill College baseball team defeated the 11th ranked Southern New Hampshire University Penmen, 3-2 Thursday afternoon in a NE-10 Northeast Division matchup at Lou Gorman Field in Easton, Mass.

Sophomore reliever Steve Pike (Stoughton, Mass./Catholic Memorial) pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory for the Skyhawks. Freshman Mike Krupczak (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) pitched a scoreless, hitless ninth and collected the save. John Hauck (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn-Trafford) started and pitched six innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits and three walks, while striking out five.

Third-year Junior Mendez (Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) took the loss for the Penmen. Mendez was charged with three earned runs on seven hits and two walks in seven innings. John Pickowicz (Hill, N.H./Franklin) pitched a scoreless eighth inning of relief for Southern New Hampshire, holding Stonehill to just one hit.

The Penmen jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning. After a single by Riley Palmer (Goffstown, N.H./Goffstown (Franklin Pierce)), a Bryan Toland (Wildwood, N.J./Wildwood Catholic) walk, and a hit by pitch, Palmer scored on a wild pitch to give SNHU a one-run lead.

SNHU got another run in the top of the fourth inning to make it 2-0. Palmer singled to right field, before stealing second, advancing to third on a groundout, and finally scoring on a wild pitch.

The Skyhawks knotted the game in the bottom of the fourth. James DeAlto (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y./Briarcliff) and Billy Karalis (Pawtucket, R.I./Bishop Feehan) opened the inning with back-to-back singles. After Dan Fratus (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) walked to load the bases, Michael Zeiner (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury) cut the lead in half when he hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring DeAlto. Anthony Pagano (Cranston, R.I./Cranston West (Elms College)) tied the game when he singled down the right field line to score Karalis.

The game stayed tied until the seventh inning when Stonehill took its first lead. With two outs, Chris Callahan (Southington, Conn./Holy Cross High) doubled to center field, making way for Chris Hoyt's (Walpole, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) game-winning RBI-single.

The Skyhawks (13-8, 2-0 NE-10 Northeast) and Penmen (16-5, 1-1 NE-10 Northeast) meet again for a double-header Saturday afternoon at Lou Gorman Field beginning at 12:00 p.m.

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