Box Score Game 6 Game 7
Staten Island, N.Y.-- The top-seeded John Jay Bloodhounds came out of the loser’s bracket to capture the 2007 CUNYAC Baseball Championship on Saturday evening at the College of Staten Island. The Bloodhounds, who opened the tournament with a 2-1 loss to the College of Staten Island, defeated the CCNY Beavers, 13-4 and 10-5, to win their first title since 2002.
After forcing a seventh and deciding game with a convincing 13-4 win in game six, the Bloodhounds came out thirty minutes later and turned in a similar dominant performance in the decisive game.
“I told these guys the feeling of winning the championship would be like nothing they have ever felt before,” said John Jay head coach Dan Palumbo. “Right now these guys are reaping the benefit of all the hard work they put in. These guys really wanted to win this thing especially after falling short last year, and here we are 12 months later the champions of the CUNY.”
Bloodhounds’ center fielder Tim Murphy was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament after batting .600 (15-for-25) with nine RBI’s and nine runs scored in five contests.
“It is a great feeling to know that all of our hard work really paid off,” said Murphy. "The MVP doesn’t mean as much as the championship. I was fortunate enough to have a great tournament and help the team win. "
Trailing 2-1, John Jay scored five unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning to grab a 6-2 lead. The Bloodhounds took advantage of three CCNY errors in the frame. Beaver’s second baseman Alex Flores booted consecutive ground ball chances to open the inning and third baseman Richard Gomez botched another that could have gotten CCNY out of the jam without any damage. However, Gomez’ miscue resulted in a run and opened the door for four more. Johan Abad (2 RBI’s) walked with the bases loaded and Gonzalo Gonzalez (2-for-3, 2 RBI) followed with a two-run single to right center. Richard Santana then singled to left for the final run of the frame.
An RBI single by Kenneth Sepulveda and a run-scoring sacrifice fly by Abad in the bottom of the fourth extended the lead to 8-2.
The Beavers trimmed the lead to 8-4 as they scored two runs in the top of the sixth on an RBI groundout by Tim Mena and an RBI single by Lucian Maldonado.
Gomez (2-for-4) then brought CCNY within 8-5 after he delivered an RBI double in the top of the seventh, but John Jay pitcher/designated hitter John Massoni responded with a two-run single in the bottom of the frame to extend the lead back to 10-5.
For the second straight game, CCNY lit up the scoreboard first as they scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Armando Wellington drew a lead-off walk and scored when Brian Padilla (2-for-4, RBI) blooped a single just over the glove of John Jay second baseman James DeCesare. Padilla, who appeared to be caught off second base, then came around to score after Massoni made an errant throw into left field during a run-down play.
Massoni went 5.0 innings to record the victory for the Bloodhounds, allowing just one earned run and four hits.
CCNY starter Raul Hidalgo suffered the loss, although he only allowed one earned run in four innings.
Story courtesy of the City University of New York Athletic Conference
