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Championship Central

#1 Staten Island Dolphins 10, #2 Baruch Bearcats 9 (12 innings) - Box Score

The Staten Island Dolphins might have been the #1 seed in the 2015 CUNYAC/MCU Baseball Tournament, but they got used to playing from behind. The team trailed both CCNY and Baruch late in Games 5 and 6, respectively, before coming from behind to win those games. Today, Staten Island needed extra innings for their latest miracle, saving their best comeback for last en route to defeating the Baruch Bearcats 10-9 in 12 innings to capture the title.

“It feels great because of the effort we put in,” said CSI head coach Mike Mauro. “It’s unbelievable. This is one in a million and I’ll never forget it.”

One in a million is the best way to sum up the crazy 2015 Championship Tournament, which featured dense fog throughout the weekend, grand slams, surprise pitching performances and plenty of clutch offense.

With the bases loaded and his team trailing 6-2 in the bottom of the ninth, George Kantzian stepped to the plate in a situation every kid dreams about being in while growing up. With the fate of the Staten Island season resting on his shoulders, Kantzian crushed a miraculous game-tying grand slam over the left field wall, sending his teammates into a frenzy and sending the game into extra innings.

“I was just looking for a pitch to hit, something I could drive,” said Kantzian on his game-tying at-bat. “I was looking for a pitch to do damage with and I got it.”

The teams made those in attendance wait until the twelfth inning to see the game-winning run cross home. After Baruch scored three runs in the top half of the 12th, Elijah Rodriguez of CSI delivered the walk-off 2-RBI double to etch Staten Island’s name on the Championship trophy.

The road to extra innings didn’t always appear so probable for the Dolphins, however. Right from the outset, Baruch’s bats made it clear that the team was unhappy with their performance at the end of Game 6.

The game opened with CSI starter Juan Rodriguez hitting Jesus Ozuna-Perez with a pitch. An Eric Ulino double and a Zachary Uher walk loaded the bases for Angel Tejeda, who rocked a bases-clearing double to deep left center to give Baruch the early 3-0 lead. The hit chased Rodriguez from the game before he could record an out as CSI went to Game 6 starter Jeff Manzi to get out of trouble.

The Bearcats put up another 3-spot in the top of the third when Matthew Ballone, Donovan Hunt and Dan Daley recorded successive RBI hits off Manzi.

Baruch gave the ball to Matthew Fazio in the deciding game, and he did not disappoint early. The gritty right-hander threw five scoreless innings before finally yielding a run. As Fazio began to tire, Staten Island began to chip away at the six-run deficit. The team pieced together one run in each of the sixth and seventh innings but couldn’t generate the rally needed to overcome the large hole all at once.

Fazio gutted it out in the eighth for Baruch, inducing a pair of groundouts and a flyout to get through a harmless inning. Unfortunately, the sophomore ran out of gas in the ninth inning. Following a single and two walks, George Kantzian stepped up to the plate and spoiled Fazio’s magnificent effort in just one swing. Adams Peguero came on to pitch for Baruch following the homer and escaped a two-on, one-out jam to send the game to extra innings.

Nobody threatened to score until the bottom of the eleventh. With runners on second and third and two out, Frank Smith grounded one hard to short. Ozuna-Perez backhanded it and made a throw that just beat Smith to first base to prevent the game winning run to score and send the game into the 12th inning.

With the fog rolling in heavily again, Baruch finally broke the tie in the top of the 12th inning. Matthew Ballone was on second after reaching base on a single, and Ozuna-Perez hit a double down the left field line to give Baruch the lead. Eric Ulino made it consecutive RBI doubles for the Bearcats when he lined a deep shot over the right fielder’s head. Zachary Uher followed with an RBI single to give Adams Peguero a 9-6 lead to protect in the bottom half of the inning.

Of course, trouble was brewing for the tall righthander. With men on second and third and two out, George Kantzian fouled off numerous pitches with a full count and drew a key walk to load the bases for Bobby Drake. The sophomore outfielder delivered a two-RBI single to cut the Dolphins’ deficit to 9-8. With the fog thickening by the minute, the stage was set for Elijah Rodriguez. The third baseman drove a pitch deep down the right field line that Tejeda couldn’t field. The winning runs scored, giving CSI the improbable walk-off 10-9 victory in 12 innings.

“Before the game, me and [Baruch Head coach Jose Torres] didn't want to start the game,” said Mauro. “Then it started to clear up so we started the game, but once we started we kind of knew that we had to finish it, especially in the top of the twelfth when they scored those three runs. It was only fair that we got a chance to hit in those conditions.”

Besides the fog, the big story was how well both teams managed their pitching staffs despite having plenty of tired arms.

“We ran short on our pitching,” Mauro noted. “I had about five pitchers available, but only for two or three innings each, because they've been pitching the past couple of games. They did a great job, they really did.”

Rodriguez went 4-for-5 in Game 7, including the game winning knock. Shortstop Joe Palmeri went a perfect 4-for-4 on the evening with two runs scored. Josh Bernstein earned the win for the Dolphins after getting out of the jam in the top half of the 12th inning. Nicholas LaForgia went 4-for-6 for the Bearcats, and Angel Tejeda had three hits and three RBI’s.

Staten Island’s victory gives them 17 titles in school history. They have won four of the last six Championships and return to the CUNYAC pedestal after failing to make the final game in 2014.

Game 6: #1 Staten Island Dolphins 7, #2 Baruch Bearcats 4 - Box Score

Staten Island played from behind practically the entire game, but the way they were able to finish ensured them a chance to take the CUNYAC Championship. The Dolphins scored five runs in the bottom of the 8th inning to defeat Baruch 7-4 and force a decisive game 7.

After trading zeroes in the first inning, Baruch’s Matthew Ballone opened the afternoon’s scoring in a big way. The second baseman drilled a home run to deep left field, scoring Nicholas LaForgia and giving the Bearcats the early 2-0 lead. Staten Island starter Jeff Manzi appeared rattled following the shot, hitting the next batter and walking two more to load the bases. Manzi began his at bat against Eric Ulino by throwing two straight balls, which prompted CSI coach Mike Mauro to make a pitching change. Anthony Storz threw two of the next three pitches out of the zone, walking in the third Bearcat run of the game. Storz got Zachary Uher to pop out to second to escape with minimal damage done.

Baruch threatened again in the top of the sixth inning. With runners on the corners and two outs, Uher once again stepped to the plate with a chance to break the game open. Instead, he grounded out to the pitcher as CSI maintained their three-run deficit.

Baruch starter Paul Perez had his best stuff early, holding the Dolphins scoreless through five and a third innings. Staten Island finally got on the board after 14 scoreless innings against the Bearcats when Frank Muzzio lined a double to right center to score Nick Delprete from second. The Baruch lead was cut to 3-1.

CSI head coach Mike Mauro noted, “Paul Perez has been a nemesis of ours for four years. I can't say that I'm not happy he's graduating. He's really been the top CUNYAC pitcher of the last four years.” Luckily for the Dolphins, they chose the best time to conquer their biggest foe.

Baruch tacked on another insurance run when Matthew Ballone drilled an RBI double down the left field line. On the next play, Donovan Hunt hit a hard grounder to short, but Ballone was tagged out after a baserunning blunder to end the inning.

Staten Island manufactured another run in the bottom half of the 7th. After Paul Ciprello singled up the middle, Frank Sconzo bunted him over, and Bobby Drake drove him in with an RBI single.

CSI’s Anthony Storz provided 5 and ? scoreless innings in relief of Manzi, giving the Dolphins a chance to chip away at the lead. They did just that in the bottom of the eighth.

Frank Smith led off the inning with a single, and Frank Muzzio lined a double just inside the right field line. Then, 2015 Rookie of the Year Glenn Glennerster made his first hit of the game a big one by drilling a single to left to score pinch runner Chris Moran. Glennerster stole second to put men on second and third, and Joe Palmeri grounded one to second that resulted in the game-tying run to cross home plate. Frank Sconzo was up next and broke the tie, lining a double down the right field line that barely stayed fair to drive in a pair and give the Dolphins a 6-4 lead. That proved to be the game-winning hit. Bobby Drake continued the rally, driving in a run with a single to left.

With the 7-4 lead, Mike Fitzpatrick of CSI induced a pair of lineouts and a pop up to end the game. He earned the win for his two innings of relief.

The victory forced a Game 7 between the two teams for the CUNYAC crown.

Game 5: #1 CSI Dolphins 4, #4 CCNY Beavers 3 - Box Score

As play resumed on Saturday, CCNY’s Jhosse Estrella came on to pitch. His second pitch was delivered much too high for catcher Nazar Aprahamian to handle, and the wild throw allowed 2015 CUNYAC Rookie of the Year Glenn Glennerster to score the tie-breaking run.

CSI’s Jason Faillia came on for the save and retired the side in order to propel the Dolphins into a rematch with Baruch at 4pm.

The Dolphins will appear in the Championship game(s) after missing out on that opportunity last season.

For a recap of the first eight innings, click here.

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