Mount St. Mary’s Comes Back to Defeat Baseball, 6-3

(Box Score)

5/4/07 -- Mount St. Mary’s scored a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to break a 3-3 tie en route to defeating the Long Island University baseball team at Wagner’s Willets Field in the first game of a four-game Northeast Conference series. Designated hitter Orlando Cruz (White Plains, N.Y.) and centerfielder Johnny Neckar (Fort Myers, Fla.) each hit their team-leading fifth home runs and starter Mike Maynard (Staten Island, N.Y.) threw six strong innings in the loss.

With the score tied in the top of the seventh, lefthander Kenny Cedel (Staten Island, N.Y.) loaded the bases with three hit batsmen before giving up a two-run single to designated hitter Josh Vittek that would put the Mountaineers up 5-3. Cedel dropped to 1-7 on the season, allowing just one hit in his one inning of work.

Mount St. Mary’s (27-17, 13-3 NEC) got on the board in the top of the second when leftfielder Drew Counselman took Maynard’s first offering deep. The Blackbirds (9-29, 3-13) answered back when Cruz lofted a ball over the short porch in right field for a leadoff home run.

Long Island took a 2-1lead in the third after third baseman Dan Pirillo (Marlboro, N.Y.) led off with a single and scored and moved to third when Drew Pease’s pickoff attempt sailed wide. Pirillo would score on a single by leftfielder Frank DiMasi (Staten Island, N.Y.). Mount St. Mary’s tied the game again in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Councilman.

The Blackbirds used the long ball again to regain the lead when Neckar launched a one-out homer off Pease, putting Long Island up 3-2. Maynard gave up a leadoff home run to Ivor Hodgson in the top of the sixth to tie the game.

Maynard pitched six innings, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks. He struck out nine hitters. Pease (7-4) earned the win with eight-plus innings of three-run ball. He gave up eight hits and walked one while setting 10 Blackbirds down on strikes. Michael Matta earned his seventh save.

The teams will finish the series with three games at KeySpan Park, including a doubleheader on Saturday, May 5. First pitch is scheduled for noon.