Siena College Earns Spot in Championship Game of the 2008 MAAC Baseball Championship
MAAC Sports
Trenton, N.J. ? Third-seeded Siena College (29-25) earned a spot in the 2008 MAAC Baseball Championship title game after defeating top-seeded Canisius College (41-13), 5-2, in Game 5 of the championship at Waterfront Park.
Siena scored one run in the top of the second inning, with Rick Seltzer racing home on a wild pitch.
Canisius kicked off the bottom of the second with a home run by Kevin Mahoney to tie the game at 1-1.
The Saints jumped onto the scoreboard again in the top of the third as Chris Klepps scored on a single to left field by MAAC Player of the Year Jacob Willis.
The Griffs tied it up once again in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Ryan Asis tripled to center field, allowing Alec Cabello to score, but Asis was called out at home.
Siena pulled ahead, 4-2, in the top of the sixth as Nick Messinger sailed a two-run homer deep over the left field wall.
In the top of the eighth, Nick Messinger knocked an RBI double to right center to bring home Jason DeFilippo to give the Saints their final run of the night.
Siena’s Will Hassett improved to 4-3 with the win, and Dan Lazzaroni earned his sixth save of the season. Canisius’ Mike Goemans finished the year at 7-2 on the mound.
Siena will play fourth-seeded Rider University in Game 6 on Saturday, May 24, at 1:00 p.m. If the Saints win Game 6, the seventh and deciding game is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m.