Canisius Eliminates Rider with 9-8 Win in Game Three of the 2009 MAAC Baseball Championship
MAAC Sports
Trenton, N.J. ? Second-seeded Canisius College (34-21) eliminated fourth-seeded Rider University (26-23) with a 9-8 win in game three of the 2009 MAAC Baseball Championship at Waterfront Park.
The Broncs got on the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning. Sophomore third baseman Mason Heyne started the inning by sending his 17th career home run over the left field wall.
The Griffs tied it up in the bottom of the third with sophomore shortstop Steve McQuail flied out to center field to allow junior left fielder Perry Silverman to cross home plate.
Rider added two more runs in the top of the fourth, beginning with freshman centerfielder Brandon Cotton registering a sacrifice RBI to bring home sophomore second baseman A.J. Albee. Sophomore shortstop John Ralston then registered a run on a double by senior right fielder Jamie Hayes to give the Broncs a 3-1 lead.
In the fifth inning, the Griffs posted three runs to pull ahead, 4-3. Silverman hit his fourth home run of the season over the left field wall. Junior designated hitter Ian Choy then tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI single to left center. Senior second baseman Kevin Mailloux gave Canisius the lead in the next at-bat, singling to left center to bring in freshman catcher Brad Medici.
Canisius scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth, starting with senior centerfielder Branson Joseph scoring on a groundout by Silverman. McQuail singled to left field to bring in Medici and senior pinch runner Connor Burke and increase their lead to 7-3.
Rider added one more run to its tally in the top of the seventh, thanks to a solo home run by senior designated hitter Maurice Williams. In the top of the eighth, junior first baseman Matt McCollum scored on a single to left field by freshman pinch hitter Ryan Murphy. Senior catcher Sean Olson then sent a three-run homer over the left field wall to give Rider an 8-7 lead.
But the Griffs would not go away quietly. With one out and bases loaded, junior left fielder Shayne Willson made the play of the game, sailing a single to right field to bring in senior pinch hitter Brian Gibbs and MAAC Player of the Year Kevin Mahoney for the winning runs of the game.
Willson also took credit for the win and improved to 3-2 on the mound, while Rider’s Jamie Hayes ended the season at 2-2.
Canisius will play the loser of Game 4 between #1 Manhattan College and #3 Marist College in Game 5.