Mid Atlantic Regional - Game 3 - May 15, 2003
Boyertown, PA -- The DeSales University baseball team began its quest to reach the NCAA Division III World Series in Wisconsin by beating Lakeland College of Wisconsin, 11-5, in the opening round of the 2003 NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional Playoffs.
The Bulldogs jumped out early on the Muskies of Lakeland scoring eight runs over the first three innings to open up an 8-1 lead and never looked back. Freshman Matt Reppert (Allentown, PA/Dieruff) improved to 9-2 on the season as he pitched a season-record tying fifth complete game scattering nine hits, allowing five runs, and striking out four.
DeSales started the game with an infield single by Lew Campanaro (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) and a double to right field by senior Brett Vargo (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) and Lakeland made two fielding errors on the first two batters in the second inning leading to four unearned runs as DSU started early and earned the first-round victory.
Vargo finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI's and sophomore Dan Fratantoro (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) went 3-for-4 with three RBI's to lead the offensive attack. Sophomores Kyle Hoffman (Boyertown, PA/Boyertown) and Nolan Neiman (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh) along with senior Mike Cohan (Ridgewood, NJ/St. Joseph's Montvale) each had two hits in the win. Hoffman scored twice and hit a solo home run in the fifth inning and Neiman and Cohan each scored two runs.
DeSales advances to play Johns Hopkins University at 7:00 pm in the second round on Friday, May 16th. The other first-round winners included the #1 seed Rowan University a 4-1 winner of Otterbein College (OH) and the #2 seed Johns Hopkins, who defeated Alvernia College, 14-4.