Box Score

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (May 4, 2019) - On Saturday, top-seeded Baruch College fought out of an early 3-0 hole to defeat four-time defending champion and No. 2 seed College of Staten Island, 5-3, in the 2019 CUNYAC/MCU Baseball Championship at the CSI Baseball Complex.

It was Baruch's first conference championship since 2012. The Bearcats (15-17) will now move on to face the champion of the North Atlantic Conference next weekend (May 10-12), with a berth to the NCAA Tournament on the line.

"This is rewarding. We had a lot to play for and we finally cashed in. I told them at the beginning of the year to believe that they can win and they accomplished the goal," Baruch Head Coach Jose Torres exclaimed.

Trailing 3-0 in the top of the third, Baruch had its first two hitters reach base, before a two-RBI single by senior designated hitter Jorge Keith Mercado, the tournament's Most Valuable Player, closed the gap to 3-2. Mercado went a combined 4-for-8 with two runs scored and two RBI in the two games, en route to being named the MVP.

"It feels awesome (to win a conference championship)," Mercado commented. "I can't put it into words. This is something we have prepared for all year. Just to see it come to fruition is great for us."

The Bearcats would take the lead in the sixth. After the first two batters of the inning reached to put the tying and go-ahead runners on base, senior second baseman Michael McGroarty delivered an RBI single through the left side to tie the score.

In the next at-bat, sophomore third baseman Liam O'Gara hit a grounder to the first-base side. CSI's Anthony Collica came home with the throw, but Kemal Deljanin slid underneath the tag, putting Baruch in front.

Freshman left-fielder Angelo Alessandro followed with a two-out RBI single for a key insurance run for the Bearcats.

Though Baruch's starting pitcher was pulled in the first inning, the bullpen kept the Bearcats in the game and eventually preserved the lead.

Sophomore Matthew Lawlor pitched 5.2 innings of relief, surrendering just six hits and one run with two strikeouts. He never allowed a runner to advance further than second base over his last four innings of work.

CSI nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback in the ninth. Baruch's Nicholas D'Angelo retired the first two batters to face him in the inning, but the Dolphins managed to load the bases and sent Nicholas Meola to the plate, with the winning run on first.

On a 1-2 offering, D'Angelo got Meola to fly out to center to end the game, giving Baruch its fourth conference title all-time.

"They (the bullpen) have carried us throughout the year. The pitching has been the key to this team, and it showed today," said Torres. "(Nicholas) D'Angelo came in and shut the door. (Matthew) Lawlor calmed the game down, when it looked like it was going to get out of hand."