Rindge, N.H. - The Dowling College baseball team dropped their opening game of the NCAA East Regional Tournament this afternoon 5-2 to Stonehill College. Dowling slides to 27-16 on the season and will face the top seeded Franklin Pierce University.
The Skyhawks came out to an early plating three in the bottom of the first inning. A double down the left field line by Christian Baglini got things going followed by a walk to Brian Campbell and a Eric Schneider was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Brian Hocking worked a walk to push across the game's first run and a single to right by Eddie Bowler brought home two for a 3-0 Stonehill advantage.
Following four scoreless innings, the Golden Lions got on the board with a run in the top of sixth. A Skyhawk error put junior Michael Richter on second to start the inning and a groundball to the right side moved him to third with one out. Senior John Cruz lifted one to deep center allowing Richter to score moving the score to 3-1.
Stonehill added one in the bottom half the sixth courtesy of a solo homerun to right by Bowling and another in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single to the left side by Schneider.
Dowling cut the deficit to 5-2 in the top of the eighth. Richter singled to right with and a base hit down the leftfield line by Daniel Parisi put runners on the corners with just one out. Cruz hit into fielder's choice bringing home Richter for the second run of the game.
Junior Mike Rizzitello finished 2 for 4 with Cruz recording two RBI and Richter with two runs scored.
Senior Kyle DeMeo was tagged with the loss allowing four runs on five hits in five+ innings of work. Sophomore Dominic Dannetti came out of the pen for two innings of relief with sophomore John Parisi tossing a scoreless eighth.
Dowling returns to Pappas Field tomorrow May, 15th to face the Ravens. Game time is set for 11:00 a.m.
Provided by the Dowling Sports Information Department.
