Auburn, N.Y. – The third-seeded Rensselaer Red Hawks (34-10) rallied for a 7-6 win over the sixth-seeded Farmingdale Rams (26-17), winning on a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth in Wednesday’s third game of the NCAA Division III baseball regional tournament hosted by Ithaca College at Auburn’s Falcon Park. The Red Hawks advance to play either second-seeded Ithaca or seventh-seeded Ohio Wesleyan Thursday at 7:45 p.m. The Rams will face the Ithaca-Ohio Wesleyan loser in an elimination game Thursday at 1:15 p.m.
Sophomore Patrick Reardon singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth after Farmingdale had rallied to tie the game in the top of the inning. Reardon singled in junior Mike Giacoia, who was pinch-running for junior third baseman Jim Devine (who singled with one out). Giacoia moved to second on a single by senior right fielder Dan Valentine before Reardon’s game-winning single.
The Farmingdale rally in the top of the ninth saw the Rams take advantage of Rensselaer’s fourth infield error of the game. Pinch-hitter Anthony Mazzilli reached on a one-out error and pinch-runner sophomore Ray Levan moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by freshman first baseman Kevin Curtis.
Rensselaer scored three seventh-inning runs – following a 59-minute rain delay – to take a 6-5 lead.
Senior shortstop Matt Muscatiello hit a sacrifice fly and Reardon and Valentine added RBI singles. Reardon finished with four hits, including a double. His fourth hit made a winner out of junior Andrew Novick, who threw 3.2 innings of one-hit relief.
Novick entered the game in the sixth, when Farmingdale’s three runs put the Rams up 5-3. Sophomore Don Moscatelli tripled in a run and scored on a squeeze bunt to highlight the inning.
