Baseball Ends Season with Loss in ECAC Tournament Championship Game

Newport, R.I. – The top seeded Framingham State University baseball team surrendered five runs to second seeded Salve Regina University in the top of the ninth inning as the Seahawks erased a one run deficit and came from behind to defeat the Rams 7-3 in the championship game of the 2015 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Baseball Tournament.

The Rams took the lead in the bottom of the second inning as senior Billy Derosier (Shrewsbury, Mass.) led off the inning with a single and classmate Ivan Colon (Waltham, Mass.) followed with a two run shot to deep left center on a 3-0 pitch.

The two runs would stand until the top of the sixth inning as Framingham State University starting pitcher Mike Andrews (Stoneham, Mass.) kept the Seahawks off the board including working out of a jam in the top of the third inning.

The Seahawks tied the game in the top of sixth on an RBI single from Alex Perry and a run scoring double play.

The Rams answered in the bottom of the seventh to take a 3-2 lead.  Senior John Gill (Hudson, Mass.) single up the middle and moved to second on a ground out by Kevin Driscoll (Chelmsford, Mass.).  Junior Ryan Connelly (West Roxbury, Mass.) followed with a line drive up the middle allowing Gill to score the go ahead run.

Andrews retired the Seahawks in the top of the eighth, but the Seahawks were able to do damage in the top of the ninth against the Rams bullpen.  A John Miltano single through the left side tied the game and Alek Kucich singled to right center with the bases loaded to score the go ahead runs.  Perry followed with an RBI double and a sacrifice fly from Daniel Donohue plated the fifth run of the frame giving the Seahawks a 7-3 lead.

Reliever Tommy Seaver, who came on in the eighth inning, was able to retire the Rams in the bottom of the ninth and secure the win for the Seahawks.  Seaver earned the victory tossing one and two thirds innings of scoreless relief without allowing a hit while striking out four.

Andrews, who did not factor in the decision, went eight innings for the Rams allowing two runs, both earned, on six hits with four walks and six strikeouts.  Sophomore Matt McIsaac (Peabody, Mass.) took the facing four batters in the ninth without recording an out, while freshman Chris Riga (Westfield, Mass.) went an inning of relief allowing one run with two strikeouts.

Senior Mark Mainini (Hull, Mass.), Gill and Driscoll record two hits apiece in the game for the Rams.

The Rams conclude the 2015 season at 27-19 which is a new school record for victories in a season and establishes the 2015 baseball senior class as the all-time winningest class as they amassed a 90-78 record over four years.