SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Southern Maine right fielder Zach Quintal went 2-for-4 including a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to lead the second-seeded Huskies back for a 7-6 win over top-seeded Oswego on the final day of action at the NCAA Division III Baseball New York Regional, hosted by Onondaga Community College. With the win, Southern Maine (34-12) forces a final game versus the Lakers (31-9) to decide the regional champion.
Oswego took a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning. First baseman Josh Hoagland drew a one-out walk before advancing to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a bunt single by shortstop Zach Whelan. After a stolen base by Whelen, catcher Lukas Olsson chopped a single to left over a drawn-in Huskie infield to plate Hoagland before center fielder Wes Randall dropped a single to short left that brought home Whelan. Third baseman Eric Hamilton loaded the bases after getting hit by pitch before designated hitter Mike Dellicari brought home Olsson.
Southern Maine responded with two runs in the top of the sixth. Quintal led off the sixth with a single up the middle before shortstop Andrew Olszak singled through the right side and designated hitter Dylan Hapworth drew a one-out walk to load the bases. A grounder to second by catcher Kip Richard scored Quintal, before the Lakers' double-play attempt was mishandled by the Laker first baseman, allowing Olszak to score as well.
In the bottom of the sixth, second baseman Zach Kollar drew a lead-off walk before left fielder Eli Holton drove an 0-2 pitch from Huskie reliever Jake Dexter over the left field fence to stake the Lakers to a 5-2 lead.
Southern Maine responded with three runs in the top of the seventh. Center fielder Devin Warren led off the top of the seventh inning with a line-drive that dropped in front of a diving Laker center fielder and came all the way around to score after the ball rolled to the wall. First baseman Andrew Hillier followed with a single to right, before McDonough drew a walk off Oswego reliever Andrew Morano. A sacrifice bunt by Quintal advanced runners to second and third before Olszak knocked an RBI single to right and eventually came around to score on a Bender ground out to second to tie the score, 5-5.
Oswego re-took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Hamilton hit a ball deep to third base and reached after the throw across pulled the Huskie first baseman off the bag. Dellicarri followed with a single to right before Barnes was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kollar grounded out to second to bring home Hamilton for the go-ahead run.
However, Southern Maine answered in the eighth, a lead-off walk by McDonough preceded Quintall's home run over the right center field wall for what proved to be the deciding pair of runs.
Southern Maine reliever Gage Feeney (3-0) earned the victory, throwing two shut-out innings to finish the game. Oswego reliever Tim Cronin (9-1) took the loss, allowing two runs on two hits in 1.2 innings of work.
