April 21, 2012
Baseball: Emerson Clinches Playoff Berth with Sweep of Norwich
NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Emerson College baseball team took both games of a Great Northeast Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday, April 21, at Garrity Field to clinch a spot in the conference tournament. The Lions took game one by an 11-7 score before getting an 8-3 victory in the nightcap.
Ryan Garber and Drew Risk both went 2-for-4 for Emerson (12-25, 6-10 GNAC) in the first game, with Garber picking up two RBIs and Risk scoring twice. Teammate Kolby Woodfield added a solo home run over the leftfield fence that helped spark a five-run fifth inning.
Andy Brightman (1-1) earned the win on the hill, allowing five earned runs on eight hits while striking out one and walking three.
Seniors Joe Sleeman (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena) and Corey Shearer (Montague, Mass./Turner Falls) and sophomore Devin Cilley (Tunbridge, Vt./South Royalton) all were 2-for-4 at the plate for Norwich (4-31, 1-13 GNAC). Junior Jonathan Philbrook (Rochester, Mass./Old Colony) fell to 0-4 with the loss.
Garber stayed hot for the Lions in game two, going 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored. Austin Fontanella tallied three RBIs and a run scored on 3-for-5 hitting from the two-spot in the lineup. Ben Quick picked up his first win of the season, going five innings and allowing one run on four hits. He had three strikeouts and issued a single walk.
Junior outfielder Dustin Shimkus (Collinsville, Ill./Metro East Lutheran) went 3-for-4 with three doubles to highlight the Cadets' game two offense. Two of the hits had a chance to clear the fence but were knocked down by a stiff wind blowing in from leftfield. Sophomore Scott Yashinski (Kintnersville, Pa./Palisades) allowed four earned runs in 5.1 innings for NU, falling to 1-3.
Norwich wraps up its season Sunday, April 22, when it hosts Suffolk for a conference doubleheader. Game one is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
