Adelphi University Athletics

Garden City, N.Y. – Facing elimination from the Northeast 10 Championship, the Adelphi baseball team took on No. 6 seed Pace on Friday morning. Behind a great start from Ari Gluck and timely hitting from the lineup, the Panthers have advanced to final game of the elimination bracket and will take on the loser of No. 1 Southern New Hampshire and No. 2 Bentley later tonight at 5 p.m.

Series History:

• Adelphi (26-22, 20-16 NE10) is now 35-2 against Pace since March 2005. The last meeting between the two teams was a 7-5 Setter win in Pleasantville on April 21.

Highlights:

• Gluck turned in an absolute gem when the Panthers needed it most, going 7.2 innings strong while allowing only four hits, striking out two and allowing no earned runs.
• Slotting in as the designated hitter, Matt Ryan was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a walk, two runs scored and a clutch seventh-inning home run that was his first of the year.
• Albert Ramos went 3-for-4 with an RBI as Adelphi's cleanup hitter.
• Johnny Catuosco was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
• Zach DeMilt and Bryan McCleary each tallied an RBI.

How It Happened:

• The Panthers got on the board first by playing some small ball early. Ryan got the bottom of the second started with a leadoff single and, after an Evan Carway walk, Adelphi had two on.
• Erick Duignan moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt and the always trustworthy bat of Anthony Rigogliosi laid down a perfect bunt. The first run scored and Rigogliosi reached on a throwing error by the catcher.
• Catuosco led off the third with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error after the steal. McCleary then drove him in with an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 2-0.
• With Gluck continuing to deal, Adelphi slowly but surely added to its lead. Ramos drove in Catuosco in the fifth and DeMilt drove in Carway on a sacrifice fly later in the inning to go up 4-0.
• In the seventh, Gluck found himself in some trouble. Three straight walks loaded the bases for the Setters, but Mike Gaffney trusted his starter. Gluck got the next batter to pop out in foul territory before escaping the jam unharmed after a clutch 5-3 double play turned by Giancarlo Rengifo.
• Ryan put the Panthers up 5-0 in the bottom of the frame with a solo shot to left-center.
• Pace scored its first run with two outs in the eighth to chase Gluck after a walk and a single followed by a fielding error. Colin Richardson entered and struck out the next Setter to keep the score at 5-1.
• Facing its last three outs, Pace put the pressure on the Panthers with a leadoff solo home run in the ninth to cut the lead to just three. Richardson did not flinch, setting down the next three Setters in a row and continuing Adelphi's season.

Up Next:

• Head coach Mike Gaffney and the Adelphi baseball team will move on in the NE10 Championship, now just one game away from Championship Saturday. The Panthers await the result of No. 1 Southern New Hampshire and No. 2 Bentley and will take on the loser of that game at 5 p.m.