TOURNAMENT PROGRAM
DIRECTIONS TO PARK
Center Valley, PA (May 1, 2008) – The DeSales University baseball team will begin its quest for a Freedom Conference Championship on Friday when the #2 seeded Bulldogs (21-18-1, 10-8 Freedom) take on #3 seeded Arcadia University (16-20-1, 10-8 Freedom) in the second game of the opening round beginning at 7:30 pm at Quakertown Memorial Park.
The double elimination tournament begins at 4:00 pm on Friday afternoon when the top seeded Manhattanville College Valiants (26-11, 14-4 Freedom) takes on the #4 seeded Delaware Valley College Aggies (24-15, 8-10 Freedom). Below is a schedule of the entire tournament for the weekend with all games being played at Quakertown Memorial Park:
Friday
Game 1 - #1 Manhattanville College vs. #4 Delaware Valley College (4:00 pm)
Game 2 - #2 DeSales University vs. #3 Arcadia University (7:30 pm)
Saturday
Game 3 – Loser of Game #1 vs. Loser of Game #2 (11:00 am)
Game 4 – Winner of Game #1 vs. Winner of Game #2 (2:30 pm)
Game 5 – Winner of Game #3 vs. Loser of Game #4 (6:00 pm)
Sunday
Game 6 – Winner of Game #4 vs. Winner of Game #5 (Noon)
If necessary (played only if Winner of #5 wins Game #6) – 4:00 pm
The Bulldogs enter the tournament looking to regain the championship trophy for the first time in three years after having won the Freedom Conference title six straight years prior. DSU finished runners-up in 2006 to King’s College and in 2007 to Wilkes University. DeSales is making its ninth straight trip to the Freedom playoffs and its 10th in its 11 years in the conference. Overall the Bulldogs own a 25-5 (.833) record in the Freedom post-season and have won seven titles in its previous nine appearances in the playoffs.
Leading the Bulldogs, winners in eight of their last 10 games, will be a balanced offensive attack that features eight players who have scored 25+ runs on the season and nine regulars batting over .300 for the year. Senior Andrew Heard (Alexandria, VA/Hayfield) leads the team with a .368 batting average and has a team-high 23 stolen bases to go along with 31 runs scored. Fellow senior Scott Matejicka (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) is batting .356 and has a team-high 40 RBI’s, while junior Zac Hess (Harleysville, PA/LaSalle) is batting .341 with a team-best six home runs and 32 RBI’s.
Freshman Mike Newland (Frenchtown, NJ/Delaware Valley) has been hot recently after taking over the starting role in centerfield batting .435 with 20 hits in 46 at-bats. Sophomore Andrew Feher (Riegelsville, PA/Palisades) is batting .358 with three homers and 26 RBI’s, junior Greg Treat (Concord, NH/Concord) is batting .331 with 32 runs scored and 14 stolen bases, junior Nick Repas (Abingdon, MD/Bel Air) is hitting .325 with 33 runs scored and 21 stolen bases and sophomore Doc Neiman (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh) rounds out the players hitting over .300 at .302 with 12 stolen bases.
On the mound, sophomore Joe Walsh (Green Brook, NJ/Watchung Hills) has been terrific all season out of the bullpen posting a team-low 2.05 ERA including two wins and eight saves in 30.2 innings pitched. Also out of the bullpen, freshman Jeffrey Pinto (Coopersburg, PA/Southern Lehigh) has pitched well recording a 3.45 ERA and a 3-2 record, while sophomore Charles Swenson (Ellicott City, MD/Mt. Hebron) enters the post-season with a 2-4 record and a 3.48 record in eight starts and 44 innings pitched.
The top seeded Valiants enter the post-season as perhaps the hottest team having gone 14-2 over their last 16 games and 11-1 in their 12 Freedom Conference games to clinch the #1 seed. Manhattanville is making its first-appearance in the Freedom post-season having just entered the conference at the start of this season. MC won the Skyline Conference Championship last year and advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament.
Leading the Valiant attack will be junior outfielder Stephen Pinto with a team-best batting average of .473, 22 stolen bases and 32 RBI’s. Senior Thomas Verrengia is also hitting over .400 at .437 and has a team-best 14 doubles and 46 runs scored. On the mound, MVille is led by sophomore Matt Nigro and junior Matt Musumeci out of the bullpen. Nigro has a 1.23 ERA in 14.2 innings and three saves, while Musumeci has a 3.71 ERA also with three saves. Senior Frank Albano is the top starter posting a 4-3 record with a 3.93 ERA in 50.1 innings pitched and seven starts. Albano also has three saves.
Arcadia enters the tournament as the third seed and will also be making its first appearance in the Freedom Conference Tournament after also joining the conference at the start of the athletic year coming from the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference where they were conference champions in 2004. The Knights will be led by senior Eric Console who is batting .381 with 20 RBI’s and senior John Curreri batting .358 with a team-high 33 RBI’s and 15 stolen bases. Senior Ken Spangenberg is also a top hitter batting .355 with 41 runs scored, 31 RBI’s, four home runs and six triples. On the mound, senior Andy Bella is 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 32.2 innings pitched and senior Steve Chobert is 3-4 with a 3.95 ERA in 57 innings pitched.
The Aggies return to the Freedom Conference playoffs for the ninth time and for the first time since the 2004 season. DVC has finished runners-up twice (1998 and 2002) and own a 6-15 (.286) record in the Freedom post-season. Leading the Delaware Valley attack is senior Zach Jakubowski with a team-best .475 batting average including four home runs, nine triples and 47 RBI’s. Sophomores Dylan Saldutti and Mike Isgro are each batting .372 and have combined for 59 runs scored and 43 RBI’s. Freshman Zack Holm has been the top reliever posting a 1.17 ERA with two saves and sophomore Sean Tappan has been the top starter posting a 4-4 record with a 3.18 ERA in 51 innings pitched.
Ticket prices for the tournament are $5.00 for adults, $4.00 for senior citizens and $2.00 for students with valid college ID for each day. You can also purchase tournament passes which are good for all three days at $10.00 for adults, $8.00 for senior citizens and $4.00 for students.