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Championship Game - May 27, 1998
Story | Boxscore | Play-by-Play
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Salem, VA - Eastern Connecticut State University put together a near-perfect game and pounded Montclair State, 16-1, in the Division III Baseball Championship title game May 27 in Salem, Virginia.
Eight of the nine Eastern Conn State starters collected at least one hit, and the Warriors stroked eight doubles in an 18-hit attack. Starting pitcher Scott Czerwinski (pictured left) picked up his second victory in as many starts during the championship series as he allowed only four hits in seven innings of work.
The bottom third of the Warriors lineup was especially productive as Chris D'Amato, Steven Rembisz and Anthony Formato were a collective eight-for-12 with two doubles, five runs scored and eight runs batted in.
The national championship was the third for head coach Bill Holowaty in his 30 years at Eastern Connecticut State. The Warriors also won NCAA championships in 1990 and 1982.
"This year is very special," said Holowaty, whose career record is 856-326-4. "These kids made it a goal to win the national championship. They worked hard and they got what they deserved. It's the best group of kids, parents, fans and coaches. I'm very proud of them."
Leading 1-0 after three innings, Eastern Conn State broke the game open with a five-run fourth after two were out. Rembisz doubled in Lance Podlesney, who also had doubled. The next three batters -- Formato, Jonathan Krot and Nick Tempesta -- all reached safely and drove in four more runs.
The Warriors struck again with four runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh. Rembisz drove in his third run of the game in the sixth and finished the game four-for-six with a team-high four runs batted in.
"Eastern Conn State is just an outstanding baseball team, and really deserves to win the national championship," said Montclair State coach Norm Schoenig. "They played outstanding all tournament. In both games against us they were exceptional."
D'Amato, who hit .786 in five games (11-for-14) with three doubles and six RBIs, was voted the tournament's most outstanding player.
Joining D'Amato on the all-tournament team were teammates Czerwinski and pitcher Scott Chiasson. Also named to the team were first baseman Shawn McCorkle; outfielder Dan Wydner; and designated hitter Frank Francia from Montclair State. Catcher Billy Bacon and outfielder Scott Wesson made the squad from Cortland State, while shortstop Brian Horn and outfielder Erik Morrell from Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and third baseman Tim Bontrager of Anderson also were named to the team.
Eastern Conn State finished its championship season with a 40-11 record, while Montclair State was 35-11-1.
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Eastern Conn State 16 Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Jonathon Krot lf.......... 4 1 1 2 0 1 1 0 Bunty Ray ph/lf........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nick Tempesta ss.......... 5 0 2 2 0 1 4 5 Jon Gersz rf.............. 4 2 0 0 2 0 5 0 Glen Lungarini 1b......... 5 3 2 1 1 1 9 1 Lance Podlesney 3b........ 6 3 3 1 0 1 0 3 George Davis dh........... 5 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 Derek Karcich ph.......... 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chris D'Amato 2b.......... 2 3 2 1 2 0 1 4 Steven Rembisz cf......... 5 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 Anthony Formato c......... 4 1 2 3 1 0 6 0 Scott Czerwinski p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Scott Chiasson p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals.................... 42 16 18 15 6 4 27 14 Montclair State 1 Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A EJ Sebelle rf............. 4 0 1 0 1 0 7 0 Dan Wydner cf............. 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 Ron Guirland ph/cf........ 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Craig Conway 2b........... 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 Shawn McCorkle 1b......... 1 0 0 0 3 0 6 0 Frank Francia dh.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Bart Lombardi ph.......... 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Brian Kermizian lf........ 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 Mike Hastings lf.......... 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Alex Bosch c.............. 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 Jeff Schriber c........... 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 Lou Finamore 3b........... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 3 Glenn Barker pr/3b........ 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dave Wurst ss............. 4 1 1 0 0 0 4 3 Scott Allan p............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Mike Brennan p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chris Keelin p............ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chris Greenwood p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brad Bava p............... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals.................... 32 1 7 0 4 6 27 10 Score by innings: R H E ---------------------------------------------- Eastern Conn State 001 542 022 - 16 18 1 Montclair State 000 000 001 - 1 7 3 ---------------------------------------------- E - Tempesta; Sebelle; Conway; McCorkle. DP - ECSU 3; MSU 1. LOB - ECSU 11; MSU 10. 2B - Tempesta; Lungarini; Podlesney 2; G Davis 2; D'Amato; Rembisz; Conway; Wurst. SB - Lungarini. SF - Krot; Rembisz; Formato. Eastern Conn State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Scott Czerwinski.... 7.0 4 0 0 4 5 23 29 Scott Chiasson...... 2.0 3 1 0 0 1 9 9 Montclair State IP H R ER BB SO AB BF Scott Allan......... 3.2 4 4 4 1 2 14 17 Mike Brennan........ 0.1 5 5 3 1 0 6 7 Chris Keelin........ 1.0 2 3 2 1 0 3 7 Chris Greenwood..... 2.1 5 2 2 1 0 11 13 Brad Bava........... 1.2 2 2 0 2 2 8 10 Win - S Czerwinski 8-1. Loss - S Allan 6-4. Save - None. WP - S Allan; Brennan 2. HBP - by S Czerwinski (Wydner); by S Czerwinski (Francia); by S Allan (Tempesta); by Keelin (D'Amato); by Greenwood (D'Amato). Umpires - Home:Singer 1st:Mele 2nd:Horner 3rd:Woodall Start: 7:25 Time: 2:48 Attendance: 484 Brennan faced 3 batters in the 5th. Keelin faced 2 batters in the 6th.
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Score by innings: R H E ---------------------------------------------- Eastern Conn State 001 542 022 - 16 18 1 Montclair State 000 000 001 - 1 7 3 ---------------------------------------------- Eastern Conn State inning 1 Krot struck out looking. Tempesta grounded out to ss. Gersz flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Montclair State inning 1 Sebelle flied out to rf. Wydner hit by pitch. Conway grounded out to ss; Wydner advanced to second. McCorkle intentionally walked. Francia hit by pitch; McCorkle advanced to second; Wydner advanced to third. Kermizian struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. Eastern Conn State inning 2 Lungarini struck out swinging. Podlesney grounded out to 3b. G Davis flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Montclair State inning 2 Bosch struck out swinging. Finamore flied out to rf. Wurst flied out to rf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Eastern Conn State inning 3 D'Amato singled to left field. Rembisz doubled to left field; D'Amato advanced to third. Formato flied out to cf, SF, RBI; D'Amato scored. Rembisz advanced to third on a wild pitch. Krot grounded out to 2b. Tempesta hit by pitch. Gersz reached on a fielder's choice; Tempesta out at second ss to 2b. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Montclair State inning 3 Sebelle grounded out to 2b. Wydner grounded out to 2b. Conway doubled to right field. McCorkle intentionally walked. Francia reached on a fielder's choice; McCorkle out at second ss unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Eastern Conn State inning 4 Lungarini flied out to lf. Podlesney doubled to left field. G Davis grounded out to p. D'Amato walked. Rembisz singled to left field, RBI; D'Amato advanced to second; Podlesney scored. Brennan to p for S Allan. Formato singled to left field, RBI; Rembisz advanced to second; D'Amato scored. Rembisz advanced to third on a wild pitch. Krot singled to center field, RBI; Formato advanced to second; Rembisz scored. Dropped foul ball, E3. Tempesta doubled to center field, 2 RBI; Krot scored, unearned; Formato scored, unearned. Tempesta advanced to third on a wild pitch. Gersz flied out to rf. 5 runs, 5 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. Montclair State inning 4 Kermizian flied out to rf. Bosch struck out looking. Finamore struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Eastern Conn State inning 5 Lungarini walked. Lungarini stole second. Podlesney doubled to left field, RBI; Lungarini scored. G Davis doubled to center field; Podlesney advanced to third. Keelin to p for Brennan. D'Amato hit by pitch. Rembisz flied out to rf, SF, RBI; D'Amato advanced to second; G Davis advanced to third, scored on an error by rf; Podlesney scored. Formato singled to right field; D'Amato advanced to third. Krot flied out to rf, SF, RBI; D'Amato scored, unearned. Tempesta flied out to rf. 4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. Montclair State inning 5 Wurst flied out to rf. Sebelle walked. Wydner singled to right field; Sebelle advanced to second. Conway grounded into double play 1b to ss to p; Wydner out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Eastern Conn State inning 6 Gersz walked. Lungarini doubled to right field, RBI; Gersz scored. Greenwood to p for Keelin. Podlesney flied out to rf. G Davis doubled to right field, RBI; Lungarini scored. D'Amato hit by pitch. Rembisz reached on a fielder's choice; D'Amato out at second 2b to ss; G Davis advanced to third. Formato reached on a fielder's choice; Rembisz out at second 3b to 2b. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB. Montclair State inning 6 McCorkle walked. Francia flied out to lf. Kermizian struck out looking. Bosch reached on a fielder's choice; McCorkle out at second 3b to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Eastern Conn State inning 7 Hastings to lf for Kermizian. Schriber to c for Bosch. Krot grounded out to 3b. Tempesta singled to right field. Gersz grounded into double play ss to 2b to 1b; Tempesta out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Montclair State inning 7 Finamore singled to center field. Barker pinch ran for Finamore. Wurst grounded into double play p to ss to 1b; Barker out on the play. Sebelle singled to center field. Guirland pinch hit for Wydner. Guirland grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Eastern Conn State inning 8 Guirland to cf. Barker to 3b. Lungarini singled to center field. Podlesney singled to left field; Lungarini advanced to second. G Davis lined out to ss. D'Amato walked; Podlesney advanced to second; Lungarini advanced to third. Rembisz singled to left field, RBI; D'Amato advanced to second; Podlesney advanced to third; Lungarini scored. Bava to p for Greenwood. Formato walked, RBI; Rembisz advanced to second; D'Amato advanced to third; Podlesney scored. Ray pinch hit for Krot. Ray popped up to ss. Tempesta struck out swinging. 2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB. Montclair State inning 8 Ray to lf. Chiasson to p for S Czerwinski. Conway grounded out to ss. McCorkle grounded out to 3b. Lombardi pinch hit for Francia. Lombardi singled to left field. Hastings struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB. Eastern Conn State inning 9 Gersz walked. Lungarini reached on an error by 2b; Gersz advanced to second. Podlesney struck out looking. Karcich pinch hit for G Davis. Karcich reached on a fielder's choice; Lungarini out at second ss unassisted; Gersz advanced to third. D'Amato doubled to center field, RBI; Karcich advanced to third; Gersz scored, unearned. Rembisz singled to shortstop, RBI; D'Amato advanced to third; Karcich scored, unearned. Formato flied out to rf. 2 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB. Montclair State inning 9 Schriber singled to center field. Barker grounded into double play 2b to ss to 1b; Schriber out on the play. Wurst doubled to right field. Sebelle reached on an error by ss; Wurst scored, unearned. Guirland grounded out to 3b. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Updated Sept 2003