May 8, 2009

Box Score

Rockville Centre, N.Y. - The Adelphi University baseball team opened up defense of their #1 ranking in the East Coast Conference tournament against Dowling College on May 8. Keith Couch tossed all nine innings for Adelphi, giving up one run and leading the Panthers to a 6-1 win. With the victory Adelphi improves to 29-14 overall, while Dowling falls to 28-14.

Adelphi quickly gained the lead in the bottom of the 1st inning and never looked back. In the bottom of the first, Bill Melillo hit an RBI single, scoring Thomas Harper, who reached base when he was hit by a pitch, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead.

The score remained at 1-0 until the Panthers struck for two more runs in the bottom of the third on a run scoring double off the bat of Ryan Boelsen, followed by an RBI single by Chris Weidlein.

In the top of the fourth, the Golden Lions would score a run to pull within two runs. Dowling would threaten to put more runs on the board, but after Erik Cabrera lifted a fly ball to left field, Panthers left fielder Harper would gun down Daniel Pembroke at the plate to end the rally.

Neither team would score over the next three innings, as the game headed to the seventh at 3-1. However, the Panthers would tack on two more insurance runs in the bottom of the frame on an Anthony Anzalone two run single, bringing the score to 5-1. Adelphi would add another run in the bottom of the eighth to give them a 6-1 lead and the win.

Keith Couch threw a complete game for Adelphi, scattering nine hits and allowing only 1 run. He also struck out seven and walked just one in the win.

Adelphi returns to action in on Saturday, May 9 against St. Thomas Aquinas with a berth in the ECC final on the line.