[Careless Whisper]

Tartans Win Opener, but Can’t Secure Series Win at Saint Joseph’s
Carnegie Mellon took Game 1 of its three-game series at Saint Joseph's, but fell in the next two

by Hayden Issacs, Carnegie Mellon sports reporter

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Carnegie Mellon had a prime opportunity to win its first series in program history after a comeback 9-7 win in 12 innings, but Saint Joseph’s came back with a pair of one-run victories (3-2, 4-3 in 11 innings) to take the three-game Atlantic 10 set.

Carnegie Mellon (9-34, 7-18 A-10) had ample opportunities to take two or three wins from Saint Joseph’s (16-28, 9-20 A-10) in the intrastate series. The Tartans battled back from a 2-0 deficit in Game 2 only for the bullpen to give up the winning run in the bottom of the seventh, and tied Game 3 in the eighth inning at 3-3 but couldn’t push across the go-ahead tally in extra frames.

Game 1 was the most exciting of the bunch, a 9-7 win for the visitors in 12 innings.

The two teams traded the lead multiple times, but CMU was down 7-5 when it got a RBI double from junior designated hitter Tyler Tully in the top of the eighth. Freshman rightfielder Danny Ray Boss eventually found himself in a big spot with the bases loaded and two outs, but he stranded them all with a flyout to right. In the next inning, senior catcher Joaquin Cormier hit a one-out homerun to left field to send the game to extras.

The 7-7 scoreline remained until the top of the 12th inning when senior centerfielder Kit Kreuter singled to left and junior shortstop Darrell Salters connected on a two-run opposite-field homerun. Tartans head coach Steven Van Buren then made big move in the bottom half, bringing in newly cemented starting pitcher Scott Dittfurth to close it out – which he did, stranding a runner with a strikeout.

“At that point Scott (Dittfurth) was fresh and he’s been pitching great,” said Van Buren. “I prioritized getting the win in that spot and wanted to go to our best guy to do it. He was amped up and gave up the leadoff hit, but settled down and did his job.”

Kreuter was 5-for-7 with a double, stolen base, and two runs scored. Salters had four RBI as part of a 3-for-7 day, and freshman third baseman Chris Grieve hit a pair of doubles as part of a 4-for-7 performance.

Senior right-hander Hector Karl gave up three runs on six hits and a walk in 2.2 innings, striking out two. Freshman reliever Paxton Jennings earned the win with two scoreless frames with two strikeouts and one hit allowed.

Jennings was saddled with the loss in Game 2, giving up a RBI double to Jon Hoxter in the bottom of the seventh as the Hawks took the contest, 3-2.

Trailing 2-0 in the top of the sixth inning, Salters roped a two-run triple into the rightfield corner, scoring Kreuter. Jennings came back for his third inning of work in the eventh, but it was a frame too long as he allowed Devon Riley to reach on a single and then Hoxter brought him in with the two-bagger.

Sophomore right-hander Matt Uribes had his start moved up one day from Sunday to Saturday after Dittfurth’s Friday save, and he pitched 3.2 innings with two runs allowed on five hits and three walks.

Salters’ triple was his 15th and 16th RBI of the season. Kreuter was 3-for-4 and Tully hit his 12th double as part of a 2-for-4 day.

Senior third baseman Aaron Musgrave tied Game 3 up in the top of the eighth with a double, but CMU couldn’t find a fourth run and allowed Saint Joseph’s to take the series in the 11th inning, 4-3, with a Jonathan Frink walk-off single.

The Tartans used an error and RBI single from freshman catcher Adrian Arndt to take a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the first, but that quickly vanished as Nathan Realini connected on a two-run homer. Frink put the Hawks ahead in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single.

Dittfurth allowed two runs on six hits in four innings and struck out two. Freshman closer Einar Reagan took the loss after a perfect 10th inning, allowing a lead-off walk and stolen base to Paul Costi in the 11th before Frink’s heroics.

Musgrove was 3-for-4 at the dish and Kreuter stole two bases – his 9th and 10th of the season.

Carnegie Mellon closes the season next weekend at home, as it welcomes George Washington for a three-game series beginning on Friday, May 11.

-----------------------

Carnegie Mellon Tartans (8-32, 6-16 A-10) at Saint Joseph’s Hawks (14-27, 7-19 A-10)
Philadelphia, Pa. – Smithson Field

Game 1 – May 4, 2007
CMU | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 23 | 1
SJU | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 0
W: Paxton Jennings (2-1) L: Jarrod Cummings (2-3) S: Scott Dittfurth (1)

Carnegie Mellon Statistics
Chris Grieve, Fr., 3B | 4-7, 4 R, 2 2B (15), RBI (14), SB (2)
Tyler Tully, Jr., DH | 2-7, 2B (11), RBI (14)
Kit Kreuter, Sr., CF | 5-7, 2 R, 2B (8), RBI (12), SB (8)
Darrell Salters, Jr., SS | 3-7, R, HR (6), 4 RBI (14)
Joaquin Cormier, Sr., C | 2-6, 2 R, 2B (5), HR (1), RBI (4)
Hector Karl, Sr., RP | 2.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Jamie Boyd, Fr., RP | 1.1 IP, 1 BB
Paxton Jennings, Fr., RP (W, 2-1) | 2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Scott Dittfurth, So., RP (S, 1) | 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K

Saint Joseph’s Statistics
Jonathan Frink, So., 1B | 2-4, 3 R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB
Jon Hoxter, Sr., RF | 1-6, 2B, RBI
Geraldo Lafferty, So., SS | 2-7, 2B, 2 RBI
Nathan Realini, Fr., 3B | 5-7, R, 2B, RBI
Paul Costi, So., C | 1-3, R, HR, 2 RBI
Jose Ruffin, Jr., SP | 5.0 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 K
Jarrod Cummings, So., RP (L, 2-3) | 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Game 2 – May 5, 2007
CMU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0
SJU | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 3 | 11 | 0
W: Robert Ravago (2-2) L: Paxton Jennings (2-2) S: Gary Foley (3)

Carnegie Mellon Statistics
Tyler Tully, Jr., DH | 2-4, R, 2B (12)
Kit Kreuter, Sr., CF | 3-4, R
Darrell Salters, Jr., SS | 1-2, 3B (1), 2 RBI (16), BB
Ryan Rayner, Sr., LF | 1-4
Matt Uribes, So., SP | 3.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
Paxton Jennings, Fr., RP (L, 2-2) | 3.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Jamie Boyd, Fr., RP | 1.1 IP, 1 H

Saint Joseph’s Statistics
Jeff Mule, Sr., CF | 1-2, 2 R, BB, 2 SB
Devon Riley, Jr., 2B | 1-2, R, RBI, BB
Jonathan Frink, So., 1B | 2-4, RBI
Jon Hoxter, Sr., RF | 2-3, 2B, RBI, BB
Austin Fogle, Jr., LF | 2-4, SB
Arnie Moorer, Jr., SP | 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Robert Ravago, Jr., RP (W, 2-2) | 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 K
Gary Foley, So., RP (S, 3) | 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K

Game 3 – May 6, 2007
CMU | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 1
SJU | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 1
W: Robert Ravago (3-2) L: Einar Reagan (0-1)

Carnegie Mellon Statistics
Kit Kreuter, Sr., CF | 1-3, R, 2 BB, 2 SB (10)
Darrell Salters, Jr., SS | 1-5, R
Will Froemming, Sr., 1B | 1-3, R, 2B (14), BB
Adrian Arndt, Fr., C | 1-4, RBI (2)
Aaron Musgrove, Sr., 3B | 3-4, 2B (5), RBI (5)
Scott Dittfurth, So., SP | 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 K
Peter Dirks, Fr., RP | 2.0 IP, 1 H, 3 K
Einar Reagan, Fr., RP (L, 0-1) | 1.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Saint Joseph’s Statistics
Jeff Mule, Sr., CF | 2-5, BB
Jonathan Frink, So., 1B | 3-6, R, HR, 2 RBI
Jon Hoxter, Sr., RF | 2-5, 2 2B
Nathan Realini, Fr., 3B | 2-4, R, HR, 2 RBI
Paul Costi, So., C | 1-4, R, BB, SB
Luis Quintana, Sr., SP | 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Gary Foley, So., RP | 3.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Robert Ravago, Jr., RP (W, 3-2) | 0.1 IP